


How Lucky I am (OLD)

by Tomomi



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: F/M, IzaMika, M/M, dont know if ill finish, eventual izamika, gross old writing pls forgive, might as well move it here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 00:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13986873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tomomi/pseuds/Tomomi
Summary: Kida and Mikado have been going through a long distance relationship for a while now. Kida finally asks Mikado to come to Ikebukuro to date in person. Upon getting there, their relationship takes a turn for the worst when Kida's womanizing leaves Mikado feeling neglected. Being bored of his relationship, he looks to amuse himself. Who better to run into then the famous info-broker? (Very old and neglected fic of mine from ff.net in 2014)





	1. In Your Dreams

Mikado stared blankly ahead of him, arms and legs trembling with each passing second. It was truly overwhelming; having hundreds of irritated people speed by, bumping into him left and right. He would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified. He felt like a rabbit being cornered by a pack of wolves; the vicious giants would pounce any moment now.

"Hey, move it!" A passerby snapped at the teen, pushing past him rudely. Mikado gasped and stumbled back into a nearby pillar. He let out a shaky sigh of relief, yet his knees still wobbled in fear.

"I-I wanna go home…" He whimpered to himself, his shoulders slumping in defeat. This was almost too much for him. He wasn't used to being so far from his hometown. In fact, this was his first time stepping out into the real world. His comfort zone was non-existent at the moment.

Soon enough, he will start his school year at Raira Academy; a great school in the heart of Tokyo. Oh, but that's not even close to why he moved to Ikebukuro. Mikado smiled to himself, losing himself in his thoughts. No, he moved here to get closer to his boyfriend, Masaomi Kida. Before, they were doing a long distance relationship over the computer. Kida would always go on and on about how 'cool' and 'super totally crazy' the city was.

' _This is home to incredible myths and legends!'_

' _You're totally missing out on a wild ride!'_

' _There are SO many hot dames here, bro!'_

After a while, he finally broke down and researched the city for himself. He was caught off guard when he realized that Kida spoke the truth. So many articles on the crazy events that happened in Ikebukuro. So many reviews of people leaving in fear. Some said the city was magical, and others said it was haunted. No matter which it was, it sparked an interest in Mikado's heart. He wanted to be there.

No.

He needed to be there.

"Mi-Ka-do!" An unusually familiar voice sang in Mikado's ear. The boy jumped and jerked his head to his side. To his surprise, it was not another hot-headed business man rushing to catch the nearest train. It was a smug blonde, around his age, staring at him as if he was in on some prank he committed. Blinking a few times, Mikado questioned the other's identity and appearance. That's when it suddenly clicked.

"M-masaomi?" He timidly asked, not certain if this was actually who he was looking for. The blonde smirked and shot three fingers up.

"Was that a question? Sure sounded like one! So, now I'll give you three answers to choose from. One: Masaomi Kida. Two: Masaomi Kida. Three: Masaomi Kida." He said, counting off the numbers with his fingers. Mikado felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine and strike his stomach.

"Masaomi! Is it truly you?" He asked anxiously. "No way! It is you!" Kida's arm dropped to his side pitifully.

"I spent three years comin' up with that, and he totally blows it off." Kida murmurs in sadly. His gloomy demeanor dropped in a matter of seconds, tackling the other in a hug. Mikado felt another jolt of electricity strike his stomach. He was actually hugging him. He was holding Kida for the first time in so long. He smelled… exactly like he remembered. A feint scent of cologne and musk. A perfect combination. He was so lost in his scent, he almost forgot that they were in a train station, filled to the brim with wandering eyes. He pulled back, lightly pushing Kida away.

"I can't believe you dyed your hair, you look so… different!" Mikado chuckled to himself, holding the other at arm's length. "But your jokes still suck, no offense."

"First of all, my jokes rule." Kida poked Mikado's chest with a pout. "Secondly, what were you expecting? It's been four years! We were bound to look different. As you can probably tell, I am ten times handsomer than I was before." Mikado felt his eyes roll. "I am ten times smarter than I was before." And another roll they go. "AND I am ten times funnier!"

_I'm sure you are, Kida._

"You, on the other hand," Kida smirked, placing his hand on his chin and eying Mikado up and down. The other stared back with large, innocent eyes that Kida loved so much. Without warning, he leaned in and stole a kiss from him.

"M-M-Masomi?!" Mikado exclaimed, touching his lips. "Don't do that!" Kida snickered and snatched his hand, pulling him away from the station.

"Ah… yes. I feel like showing you the western part of the great city, but we won't be taking the left exit my friend. No, no- ha ha! We will be taking…" Mikado had long droned out the boy's ramblings, letting himself be pulled into this new city he found himself in. It was truly beautiful. Just like his hometown, the sky was endless; but, this seemed different from his old home. There was something… intriguing about this city. Something… different.

"So! Do you have any place in mind?" Kida asked, snapping the other out of his thoughts.

"Well, how about Sunshine 60?" He suggested, still staring up at the sky. After being caught in the sudden silence, he glanced back down to see Kida staring at him with the most peculiar smirk.

"Really, Mikado?" Kida teased.

_Huh? What? Did I say something funny?_

"Pardon?" Mikado questioned, eying him up and down. What could he be up to now?

"If you wanted to go on a date, you should've just said so, y'know!" Kida stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Mikado stared forward in confusion. When did he ever mention…? "Sunshine 60 is known for being the go-to for taking your girlfriend out."

"…Oh." It was all he could muster. He looked down at the ground in embarrassment, feeling his face go red. He felt something slip between his fingers and he looked over to see what it was. It was another hand- Kida's hand. He felt his hand being squeezed and he wanted to hide under his bed.

_Stop-stop-stop! People will see us holding hands, and- oh, what will they think?_

It was almost as if Kida could read minds. "Screw what people think. It's Ikebukuro! Trust me, we are FAR from being the weirdest thing in the city." Like always, Kida knew what to say at the right times.

Throughout the night, Mikado was being pulled left and right by him. He was even shown off to a couple of his friends. All the while, Kida never let go of his hand. Whenever Mikado would get nervous or anxious about the city streets, he would shower him with frenzied kisses. Whenever he would begin to tremble from all of the angry people pushing and shoving to get their way, Kida would squeeze his hand.

Mikado never felt happier. He was being spoiled with his attention. All of the kisses and touches he was given filled him with joy, and it helped him love this new city even more.

He was going to break up with Kida. A while ago, he was actually considering dropping this relationship. He felt like he was being lied to- it felt like Kida was keeping things from him. So many bad thoughts had crossed his mind throughout the time they spent long-distance. But then… Kida asked him to move to Ikebukuro. It was a stupid move to say yes, especially with all of the bad thoughts he had. But he was always the type to take chances.

Thank goodness, this wasn't another mistake.

The tour felt like it went on forever. They ended up sitting on a local bench, chatting and laughing about nothing. It was dark outside and there weren't many people walking by. In fact, the few noises they heard were the sounds of cars driving by and an occasional passing duo. It was just the two of them.

"Hey, Mikado…?" Kida said. Mikado lifted his head from the other's shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"There are a few things I need you to stay away from…" He started. "First, stay away from the urban legends that are buzzing around. You might hear some things about a 'black rider', but just stay away from anything that seems sketchy."

Mikado felt that shock run through him again. The thrill of a new find; something truly  _unreal._

"Also, try to keep away from a man named Shizuo Heiwajima. He won't bother you as long as you keep your hands to yourself."

"I-I see."

"You should also steer clear from color gangs,  _especially_ the Dollars. They're a ton of bad news, so please stay away from that shit, got it?" Mikado nodded, staring up at his boyfriend with obedient eyes. "Also… stay away from Izaya Orihara." Mikado felt a dark aura emitting from Kida.

"Izaya Orihara?" He repeated.

"Yeah, he's dangerous. Keep away from him at all costs. I'm being dead serious, Mikado. If you haven't been listening before, listen to me now; do not associate yourself with him. If he tries to come near you, just tell me and I'll handle it."

_Kida is being so… cautious. I've never seen him like this..._

"I… got it, Masaomi." The dark aura was lifted almost immediately, and his serious expression was traded for a cheery one. The rest of their time spent was dedicated to more of Kida's pointless ramblings. Mikado, however, was elsewhere. He could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, and he desperately wanted to check it. The minute Kida turned around, he snuck a peak at his phone.

It was Kanra. A good friend Mikado made on his chat. A chat on the Dollars' website.

He gulped nervously, shoving the phone back in his pocket before the blonde could notice. Kida turned back to Mikado and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, leaning him against his shoulder.

Ah.

If only it could stay like this forever.

"How intriguing." Said a man, whose voice was heard by nobody. Through the pair of binoculars he was watching from, he watched the couple sit in silence. After a few more minutes, the binoculars were shoved away, and feint footsteps trailed away. Yes. Intriguing, indeed.

"I know where to go, Kida. You should go, it's getting late." Mikado pressed as they were walking home.

"Nope! What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you walk the streets alone?"

_But would that not leave you to walk the streets alone?_

"I mean-AGH!" Mikado felt a random heap of weight hit him and he ended up toppling over. When he opened his eyes, he saw a young girl, with a scar tainting her neck, lying beside him. Kida was leaning over her, making sure she was okay.

He groaned as he pushed himself up, rubbing his poor, bruised ribs. He looked over to Kida, who was coddling the girl on the ground. Mikado would be lying if he said he wasn't annoyed. The girl only fell, it's not like she was hit by something. So why is Kida treating her as if she's unconscious?

"Hey-hey! Are you okay?" Kida whispered to her, shaking her slightly. She began to open her eyes, and once she did, she let out a petrified shriek and jumped to her feet. She pushed Kida and Mikado away, taking off in the opposite direction.

"Well, that chick's crazy." Kida muttered, after sitting in silence. Mikado stole a glance at him, and he saw a hint of sadness in his eyes.

It made him so angry.

_It's just a girl-It's just a girl- let it go, Mikado! It's just a girl!_

Just another fucking girl.

* * *

**Tarou Tanaka: Hey guys.**

**Tarou Tanaka: You know, I saw the black rider today.**

**Setton: Really? Was it around 7 o'clock?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yeah. Were you there Setton?**

**Setton: Yeah, sort of.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Really? We might have passed each other without knowing it!**

**Setton: maybe.**

**Tarou Tanaka: But it was really ominous.**

**Tarou Tanaka: It almost gave me shivers up my spine.**

**Kanra: Oh~ little Tarou-kun is a scaredy-cat!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Am not!**

**Kanra: Are too!**

**Kanra: And in the midst of all your worries**

**Kanra: You were snuggling up with your boyfriend!**

**Kanra: Kya!**

**Tarou Tanaka: That's not true!**

**Setton: Wait! Boyfriend?**

**Kanra: Yeah!**

**Kanra: Don't you know that Tarou has a knight in shining armor?**

**Tarou Tanaka: I don't know what you're talking about!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Really! You've never even seen me before!**

**Kanra: When you've been friends with someone for a while, you start knowing more things about them that they didn't even know you knew.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Well, I didn't think we were that great of friends.**

**Kanra: Aww, that breaks my heart Tarou~**

**Kanra: Of course we're that great of friends.**

**Kanra: At least that's what it may seem on the surface.**

**Kanra: KYA!**

**Tarou Tanaka: In your dreams.**

**-Kanra has PM'd Tarou Tanaka-**

**Kanra: Every night~**

**Tarou Tanaka: Shut it!**

**Kanra: Kyaaa~**

**-Out of PM box-**

**Setton: Y-you two are just weird.**

**Kanra: Aw, come on, lighten up Setton.**

**Kanra: You're just jealous because you don't understand just how great I am!**

**Kanra: Tarou! Tell Setton how great I am!**

**Tarou Tanaka: …**

**Setton: My point exactly.**

**Kanra: He hasn't answered yet!**

**Tarou Tanaka: This is stupid.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Oh.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I have to leave.**

**Kanra: Hmmm? ~**

**Setton: What's this? You pull an all-nighter?**

**Tarou Tanaka: No, I just really have to go! Bye!**

**-Tarou Tanaka left the chatroom-**

**Setton: Well that was quick.**

**Kanra: I wonder what's gotten him so riled up.**

**Kanra: But anyway, about how great I am.**

**Setton: Ugh.**

* * *

Mikado quickly snapped his phone shut as they neared his apartment. He really didn't want to go into detail on his attachment to the Dollars, especially after being warned of them. But, truthfully, it was none of his business about his life with the Dollars. His real life as Kida's boyfriend and his life as the leader of the Dollars; two separate things.

"And we're finally here!" Kida laughed, shaking Mikado out of his thoughts again.

"O-oh! We have…" He breathed. He thought this day would never come to an end. After taking in the city, and being with Kida, every minute felt like an hour.

"So?" Kida sang, leaning towards him. "How's the city? Is it all what you thought it be? Were you expecting more?"

"Mm." Mikado gave a small smile. "More or less." Kida wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close.

"That doesn't answer any of my questions!" He chuckled, pecking his nose. A small breeze came by, making them both shiver slightly. "Ah, it's getting chilly. Go in before you catch a cold!-Unless, of course, you want me to stay here and warm you up! Which, of course, is an offer I can't refuse!"

Mikado groaned and rolled his eyes, pushing the other away. "In your dreams." He said, walking into his apartment and shutting his door.

Just as the door shut, he could hear Kida respond, "Every night!"


	2. Rikoteki and a new face

Placing first on the entrance exam, meeting the hottest girl in school  _and_  starting off his first year as a class representative? Not what he had in mind. Not at all. Mikado never quite understood why he was so incredibly lucky.

Anri was a quiet, pretty girl with pale skin, large eyes, short black hair, and had large glasses perched on her face. Looking over, he could already see Kida drooling over her. Not that Mikado blamed him, she had a pretty curvy body. She made all the guys in the room blush… well, except for him of course.

She seemed nice, but when Mikado came to speak with her, she ran off without saying a word.

"Now that's what I call bold." Kida's voiced chimed from behind. "Making plans to go on a rendezvous with the class hottie? That's playing dirty!" Mikado sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"I wasn't trying to-"

"Don't care. It's the end of school. Time to date!" With that, Kida snatched Mikado's arm and pulled him to the school entrance.

* * *

_Some date._ Mikado thought, watching as Kida flirted with two older woman.

"You must want me!" He exclaimed, striking a boisterous pose at the ladies. He gave a wink at them, before continuing. "I mean, how couldn't you? With all these charming good looks and awesome moves, you can't resist me!" And with that lame comment, the two ladies stood up and sped off away from him. The whole scene made Mikado want to laugh, but he held it in. He knew Kida couldn't help himself when it came to flirting, but he didn't like it when it was done  _right in front of him._

_Geez, when will he learn? They're not going to go out with a high schooler. He should know that. And why is he paying so much attention to all these girls?! Am I not his boyfriend? Who else would he need?_

Mikado shook the selfish thought away, looking at the large statue that was put up by the school… but something was off about it. Like it was trying to tell him something. Something important.

It was then Mikado heard a voice. But as soon as the voice died away, it was like a foggy memory. For he could not remember what the voice said, or what it sounded like. Mikado sweated and looked back at the bird statue.

It just stood there. Watching.

* * *

"Piss of kid."

"Yeah, I already got a boyfriend."

"Go die in a fire."

"Aw, come one ladies." Kida cooed, ignoring the insults. "Having a drink with a guy isn't considered cheating, am I right?"

_How charming._

"Come on girls, I'll take you someplace nice."

_I wish you'd take ME someplace nice._

Once again, Mikado had to shake these thoughts from his mind. There was another part of him he hated. Another selfish part of him who needed attention; craved for it. That was a part of him he locked away forever. He was never going to let anyone see that side of him again. That  _part of him_ was who he called Rikoteki.

Rikoteki is who he considers to be his darker side. He's greedy and wants everything that happens to benefit him in some way. But that's not who he wanted to be. He was Mikado Ryugamine, a regular school kid.

**_But I'm not just a regular school kid, am I?_ **

He wasn't going to lie, Rikoteki was more honest than Mikado could ever be. It was true. He was no ordinary kid. He was the leader of the Dollars, the transparent gang that can be dangerous, or can be helpful.

**_Exactly. So don't go calling yourself 'regular' if you're not. Just accept it. I am you, and you are me. We are one._ **

* * *

_**Tarou Tanaka: Hey, have you seen any of the dollars?** _

_**Kanra: Yeah,** _

_**Kanra: I've seen them around.** _

_**Tarou Tanaka: Well? What are they like?** _

_**Kanra: They're totally cool!** _

_**Kanra: I heard they just scored a deal with the Chinese mafia!** _

_**Kanra: And remember when the Yokuza got stabbed?** _

_**Kanra: I heard it was their junior guys who did that!** _

* * *

"Ah, I can't believe those hot chicks bailed on me." Kida sighed, arms behind his head. Mikado looked down, biting his lip. "You know, I bet it was your gloomy face that scared them off."

_**I bet I did. A good thing too, or else I would have punched there pretty little faces in.** _

_No, that's not a good thing to think, Rikoteki!_

_**Are you trying to say that you enjoy this, Mikado?** _

_N-no… but Kida's just fooling around. He wouldn't go too far… right?_

_**You don't sound too confident.** _

"Hey! It's that guy with the cool manga name! What's his name…? Mikado! That's it!" One of Kida's friends exclaimed, running up to them. Mikado found himself lost in the clouds.

_**They're talking to you, y'know.** _

_I know._

"Want to hit a book store?" The girl said, Erika was it? He didn't get to talk to them for very long. Soon enough the otaku gang left the two after arguing over some book signing. It was turning out to be just another boring day.

Maybe coming here was a mistake?

_N-no! It wasn't! I'm sure of it! I just have to be patient…_

* * *

**Setton: The Dollars? Yeah I've heard of them.**

**Tarou Tanaka: A friend of mine was talking about them a while back.**

**Setton: But I've never actually seen them. Do they even exist?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Think it's some sort of prank?**

**Setton: I don't know, but I think it would be best to steer clear of groups like that.**

Mikado backed away from his keyboard, sighing sadly.

_**Well, it's good that our cover isn't blown. If they find out that we're the leader of the Dollars, well, I don't know if I'd be able to show my face back in school. Good thing you're in charge, Mikado.** _

_Whatever. It's not like it's that big of a deal anyway._

* * *

_What I came here for was change. For a new, more exciting life I had back home. Back home, there was a large open sky full of endless space for possibilities and exciting new changes. But were there any? No. The sky was empty. It was still. It was…. Boring._

"I know what you're thinking…" Kida said suddenly, as they walked away from the rambling otakus. Mikado lifted his head, listening. "Ride the train and you're treated like a perv. Walk a block and muggers scam you. Stay home too much and the neighbors prank! And with the Dollars and the Black Rider…. TOKYO IS A CONCRETE JUNGLE!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Mikado was taken aback by the outburst, but jumped when Kida randomly shoved a finger in his face. He smiled and said, "With that said, you must overcome this! After all, you want to be a real Ikebukurean, right? And not to mention, I have your back." Mikado gave a sweet smile to him, earning a small peck on the cheek from the other.

"Oh, yeah. And when I'm with the ladies, just smile. Got it?" He added, stepping away from him and walking. Mikado chuckled, but still felt his heart being tugged at the comment.

_**Well, ain't that sweet.** _

_Just relax Rikoteki…_

Mikado breathed out his frustrations and forced a smile, "Um, I don't know how much luck you'll have hitting on woman over 20."

"So? I don't care about the digits, I just want to talk to them. Anything else is just icing on the cake."

_U-um see? He doesn't care about them._

**_Whatever… Hey, is that Anri over there?_ **

Mikado glanced over to a nearby alleyway, spotting the busty girl being crowded by some kids. They were high-strung, pampered, and snotty; judging by the comments they were giving to Anri, they weren't her friends either. Mikado and Kida snuck behind the building and watched closely.

"Woah, that chick is totally getting bullied."

"Yeah, but those girls are so cliché, they're more funny than scary." Mikado added, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He hated bullies.

"You know, my boyfriend is with the Dollars." One of the girls bragged. Out of nowhere, a man wearing a hoodie towered over Anri. Throwing off his hood, he started going off on how he would summon  _his_  Dollar's crew and how cool they were. This set a spark in Mikado's eye.

_**Are you fucking kidding me?** _

_He must be joking right?_

_**Maybe we should teach him who's the REAL boss, eh?** _

Mikado considered the thought. How would he go about that? If he simply asked them to leave her alone, he would get beaten to a pulp. On the other hand, if he stood there and did nothing, Anri might end up getting hurt.

_**Let's just stroll up to her and play if off as if you were meeting her here for something. Then, we lead her away from the crowd, and we're home free!** _

_That… just might work._

Suddenly determined, Mikado rose up from his position as he was ready to go through with his plan. That is until he heard an older man's voice come from behind him.

"Bullies, huh?" Turning around, Mikado saw a dark haired man standing before him with his hands in his pockets. He didn't have to look at Kida to feel an uncomfortable vibe coming from him.

"You want to save the day don't you?" He stepped closer to Mikado, as if looking him up and down, before flashing him a mischievous smirk. The smirk send chills up his spine… but it felt good in a way. He felt his face heat up.

"U-um… well, I, um…" Mikado let out, completely confused on how to respond. Suddenly this man stalked closer towards him, and he saw out of the corner of his eye Kida tensing up. Without warning, he was grabbed by the stranger and pushed towards the group of bullies. "Wait, wait, what are you…?"

The man kept that same creepy grin on his face, not even giving Mikado a second glance. He only stared forward towards the small group ahead of them.

"No-no, wait hold on –!" He sputtered before being shoved towards the group. He slowly caught himself so he wouldn't fall, but awkwardly glancing up towards the three girls.

"What do you want, dork?" One of them spat, crossing her arms. Mikado whimpered slightly, not finding the words to say to the girl.

_**This is perfect- just make up a random excuse for why you need Anri, and lead her away from these guys.** _

Mikado gulped, but summoned up the courage to finally speak back. "W-well… you see, I-"

"Bullying people is lame." Came the man's voice. He strutted toward the group with that same smirk on his face. "It's pathetic really."

"What are you, like, 40? Butt out!" One of the girls snapped at him. He could only snicker at how pitiable she was being.

"Listen, it's not my fault if you lovely ladies drop dead right now. I mean, I could knock your teeth down your throat, or you can bag on my age when I'm really just 23. I don't really care."

_Is… he toying_ _with them?_

Mikado could see Kida motioning him to get away, but he couldn't. It was like he was finally tasting what he came for when he entered this city.

"I mean, you girls are in a class that's so beneath me it doesn't even matter. For human beings are weak things." The girls sweated at the comment, but their leader obviously wasn't catching the ominous vibe this man was giving. He foolishly spat in his face, giving a cocky smirk that made Mikado ill.

Wiping his face calmly, the black-haired man looked back at the girl. "But you know, beating up chicks isn't really my shtick." Then, silence. The only thing that was heard was the small flop of the Bully's purse hitting the ground. The strap was cut clean off, leaving the girls confused on how it was cut.

But the man wasn't finished, Mikado soon figured out. He watched as he slowly came over and picked up the girls cellphone, shaking it lightly in her face. The girl hissed and began snatching for her phone, but to no avail.

"But do you know what the next best thing I could do is?" He replied smoothly, dropping the phone to the ground. "That would be, to smash this precious cellphone of yours." With that said, he stomped his foot hard on top of the cellphone. Mikado felt his heart jump.

He stomped his foot repeatedly on the phone, giggling like a little girl. Those giggles turned into chuckles. And those chuckles eventually led into a crazy, maniacal laughter, and the phone broke and shattered under his feet. With each stomp the man did, the more hooked Mikado was getting. He wasn't this interested in a person since he had heard of the Black Rider. The whole scene in front of him made his cheeks turn red, and he didn't know why.

_What is happening to me…?!_

Suddenly his foot came to an abrupt halt, and the man stood silent over the broken pieces of the phone for what seemed like a full minute, before looking up and smirking.

"Well now I'm bored. I guess that's enough cell phone smashing, don't you think~"

The main leader of the bully's was borderline tears, trembling along with her friends, before shouting out, "H-H-Hiroshi!"

The man that watched from behind the ladies jumped his feet and got up in older man's face.

"YO! YO! YO! You're going down, FOOL!" He exclaimed, striking a pose at him. Mikado couldn't help but let out half a giggle. The way the guy managed to be less intimidating than what he was trying to be made it funny for him. But he quickly shut off the laugh as soon as it escaped his mouth, hoping no one heard it. In response, he caught the sinister eyes of the black-haired man, who simply smirked at him. He adjusted his jacket to where Mikado could see into the pocket, and what was shown was a flick knife.

"Ooh! Violence! How scary!" He sang, looking back towards the thug in front of him.

"Why… you MOTHER-!" The thug swung at him, but he dodged it smoothly, laughing out loud.

"Woah, you're too tough for me!" He giggled, watching as the man fell before him.

Once again, silence.

As the man lifted his head from the ground, a cool wind blew by, and his entire head was shaved clean. It took him a minute to process what happed, but once he did, he stood up slowly, facing his girlfriend. She shrieked in unison with her friends, taking off in the opposite direction. The thug chased after the girl, screaming in anger and confusion as to why his head was shaved.

Anri, Mikado and Kida stared at the scene in shock, the only thing making a noise was the whistle of the wind. A sudden sadistic laughter broke the silence, and Mikado glanced toward the stranger curiously. He looked over and smirked, shoving his hands back into his pockets.  
"He didn't even know it was coming."

* * *

"Man that was truly impressive." He told Mikado as soon as they were in the clearing. "Trying to save the girl from the bullies?"

For Mikado, it was hard to tell if he was joking or not. The way he bended his voice around his words was… disconcerting, to say the least. The boy tried to avoid the man's gaze, but red eyes were staring him down. He couldn't help feeling a little intimidated.

"So Kida, it's been a while." He said, turning to the blonde. At first glance, Kida looked like he had a level head. But Mikado could sense how tense his boyfriend was really getting.

"I… wasn't expecting to see you, Izaya…"

_Izaya? That's Izaya Orihara? The one I'm supposed to stay away from?_

"I mean, you're not normally in Ikebukuro-"

" _This_ is Izaya Orihara?" Mikado felt like he had been taken over for a split second, because he didn't remember blurting that out. He suddenly noticed Izaya's eyes were locked him.

"H-hey! Mikado!" Kida whispered desperately, grabbing his hand roughly. Mikado turned to his partner, and he looked like he was about to explode. Kida whipped his head back to Izaya and faked a smile. "I-I'm sorry, Izaya, this guy here is just a friend." Kida knew it was too late to try and drag the attention back to him, as Izaya already made his way to introduce himself.

"Well, my name is Izaya Orihara. You are?" He asked, placing a hand lightly over his chest. It took a second for Mikado to respond, so he decided to bow out of panic.

"A-ah… I am Mikado Ryugamine." Mikado chirped, keeping his head down. He heard the other one chuckle and he glanced up at the man before him.

"That…..that sounds like the name of an A/C."

_A-an air conditioner?! I think he means Kirigamine._

_**Some people say emperor, some people mention dragons, but this guy said I'm an air conditioner.** _

"A-ah… that's 'Kiri'…" Mikado mumbled. Kida stepped in front of him.

"So what brings you out here?" He asked, getting straight to the point. Izaya smiled, sending shivers up Kida's spine.

"Well, I came to meet someone." He turned to Mikado. "…And now I have."

That was what he told them before he was slammed into the road with an air-born trashcan.


	3. A Sudden Change

"Holy shit…" Kida said indistinctly, slowly turning towards the source of the flying object. Mikado's eyes followed, seeing a blonde bartender with a maniacal grin on his face. Mikado blinked and looked back at the wounded Izaya.

"O-Orihara-san!" He exclaimed worriedly.

_That must have hurt! I wonder if he's okay…_

His legs subconsciously moved towards the lying figure, only for his arm to be roughly yanked back. He looked back and saw Kida, clutching his arm firmly.

"Trust me man, you do NOT want to get in the middle of this!" He said, pulling him back towards the sidewalk.

"B-but… he looks hurt!" Mikado retaliated, almost feeling guilty. Kida chuckled and patted his head.

"You always were the worrying type." He said, more to himself than Mikado. He beamed at his love, pulling him close and outstretching his arm towards Izaya. "Don't you worry my lovely pet, I think you will see that he is just fine." Mikado blushed and scowled at the nickname, glaring at Kida. Finally, he turned back towards the bartender, who was approaching Izaya slowly.

"I… Za…Ya….Kun…" He sang in an annoyed manner. Izaya slowly came up, clutching his hurt arm. Glancing at his opponent, a smirk came to his face.

"S-shizu-chan…" He chuckled under his breath.

_Shizu-chan? This 'Shizu-chan' was the one that threw the trashcan? B-but how? He has to be pretty strong…_

"I would have sworn I told you to stay out of Ikebukuro, Izaya." This 'Shizu-chan' growled. "Surely even you remembered that, right?"

"Ah heh, Shizu-chan…. Last I heard you were working by the west gate?"

"Hah! Got fired ages ago… and by the way, I told you to stop calling me that. My name is Shizuo Heiwajima, get it right next time!"

_S-Shizuo?! Wasn't that the other guy I was told to stay away from?!_

Mikado felt himself become overwhelmed by… pure excitement. He needed to see what was going to happen next. Mikado felt his hand being squeezed, and he saw it was Kida. It was as if Kida was trying to reassure him that everything will be okay. But Mikado didn't really care if what happened next was good or bad.

Izaya laughed, brushing some dirt off his jacket. "You know Shizu-chan, one of the main things that I hate about you is that you can't be swayed by reason… I truly hate that about you." He flicked his knife he showed Mikado earlier at Shizuo. The smirk he had turned completely sadistic and psychotic. "Now, won't you let me go…?"

Mikado heard muffled whimpers and looked behind him to see Anri shaking madly. Following her line of sight, her eyes stayed locked on the knife Izaya was holding.

_**What the hell's her deal?** _

_I don't blame her, Orihara-san is being really scary right now…_

_**Even so, it's not even HIM she's trembling over.** _

_What do you mean?_

_**Give her a closer look. She's shaking because of the knife.** _

… _.You're right._

_**Aren't I always?** _

What happened next was all too fast for Mikado to handle. One minute Shizuo and Izaya were about to go at it, then a swarm up thugs came from all over the city and started fighting Shizuo. Well, it could have hardly been called a  _fight_. Somewhere in the middle of this, Izaya had vanished from the scene. Mikado searched high and low for where he could be, and his excitement shook his entire body.

This was  _wild._

"Alright Mikado, time to split!" Kida yelled over the fighting, squeezing Mikado's hand even tighter than before. His instincts told him to run, so he did. They took off from the scene, running to wherever. After a while of running, they both came to a stop to catch their breath. Kida was hunched over gasping for air, but Mikado was still trembling from before.

"There's…. no need… to be frightened…" Kida reassured between pants.

_I'm… I'm not frightened at all… quite the opposite._

Kida lifted his head and gave a childish grin at his love. Mikado shot one back at him.

* * *

**Kanra: Now there's a war between the Dollars and Shizuo.**

**Kanra: Or so I heard~**

**Tarou Tanaka: You've guys got it all wrong.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I was there, I saw it all. Those guys weren't part of the Dollars.**

**Kanra: No, no, no, not that.**

**Kanra: I heard that a group of guys calling themselves the Dollars mugged of few people for their cash.**

**Tarou Tanaka: What?**

**Kanra: Does that sound scary~**

**Kanra: It really scares me~**

**Kanra: I would stay clear of the dollars~**

**Tarou Tanaka: Ok**

**Kanra: The Dollars kinda freak me out.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I'm sure**

**Kanra: I'm, like, shaking right now.**

**Kanra: ...**

**Tarou Tanaka: What?**

**Kanra: are you tired Tarou?**

**Kanra: You only use short responses when you are tired~**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yeah, a little bit.**

**Kanra: HAH!**

**Kanra: Thus proving that you've been pulling some steamy all-nighters.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I DO NOT.**

**Kanra: Do to!**

**Kanra: Don't try to hide it from me!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Stop it!**

**Kanra: And to top it all off**

**Kanra: You're still with him even though he's a cheater!**

**Kanra: What loyalty!**

**Tarou Tanaka: He's not a cheater.**

**Kanra: Hmmm~**

**Kanra: If that's what you want to believe~**

**Tarou Tanaka: Shut up.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I love him and he loves me.**

**Tarou Tanaka: End of story.**

**Kanra: Aww**

**Kanra: Well isn't that sweet.**

**Kanra: Love does crazy things**

**Tarou Tanaka: Shut up**

* * *

"I'm sorry. I overslept today." Mikado explained while taking the notebook from Kida. "I guess I owe you one, man. Thanks." Kida smiled at him.

"No worries. I figured that it would a bit stressful juggling schoolwork while you're still settling into your apartment. And to all of us players out there, game on." He said while winking to a passing girl.

"U-um…. Kida, listen. About the girls-"

"You losing the necktie too? Or did you forget?" Mikado peeked down at his uniform and saw that his necktie was not on. He blinked. He never forgot a single part of his uniform before. Never. "What about your wallet? Did you forget that too?" Mikado checked his pockets. No way.

_**What is up with us today?** _

_I know, we've really forgotten about a lot of our stuff._

"No way. I've never forgotten… Ah, man." Mikado murmured as he searched through his pockets, being eyed by Kida. He sighed before looking up again. "But anyways Kida, I'm not comfortabl-" The bell rung. It just had to have rung.

"Well, see you in our next class man!" Kida waved, kissing Mikado's cheek. Half-way down the hall, Kida yelled out. "Hey Mikado! How about for lunch we head up to the roof together!" He sang. Mikado instantly ducked his head into the notebook, ignoring the pestering mumbles and murmurs of passing students.

The rest of the day had been a bore, even the lunch break with Kida on the roof wasn't too exciting. Mikado sighed as he put his shoes into his little locker, before turning to a gloomy Anri.

"What's wrong Anri?" He asked.

"It's my shoes. They're gone again."

"Gone?"

An arm swung around Mikado's shoulder. "What'd you forget this time Mikado?" It was Kida.

"It's Anri. Her shoes are missing."

It was just another dreary day that dragged on for too long. Even after finding Anri's shoes and returning them, she barely looked him in the eye before closing the door in his face.

And he knew that soon all the weird myths and fights that happened in Ikebukuro would slowly but surely become the norm. Nothing would change. Nothing would happen. Nothing new.

Or at least that's what he thought.

* * *

**Later that night**

"Where is he?" Mikado asked himself, scrolling through his phone curiously at the recent text messages he got from Kida.

[Hey, wanna go out tonight?]

[Right now, Kida? It's getting late.]

[I know. But I miss you.]

[Fine. When will you pick me up?]

[Can't do that. How about you meet me at the café around 9:00?]

[Jeez…. Fine. You better not be late!]

[Come on. When am I ever late?]

[Every day.]

[Touché]

_**Great. He's late again. Why call me out here in the middle of the night if he's not going to show up?** _

_Maybe something came up, you never know._

_**Then he should text in advance.** _

The café was practically empty, with only a few people laughing together and having a good time. Meanwhile, Mikado was all alone. His eyes scanned the area. He watched as the last few couples giggled and laughed about nothing in particular, having way too much fun. He sighed and brought his coffee up to his lips.

That's when he saw  _him_. Sitting at the table by the window, back turned to him, and clueless to where he was; Izaya Orihara.

_Orihara-san!_

_**What the hell is he doing here?** _

It was a miracle the man didn't know he was there. He bit his lip and simply looked away. It was none of his business.

Just ignore him.

There was a voice inside his head telling him to run, but his feet wouldn't budge. As long as he stayed in the back, he would be fine; or at least that's what he told himself. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he idly brought it to his ear.

"Yeah?"

" _Mikado?"_

"Kida? You're late. What happened?"

" _Yeah, something came up."_

"….You're joking. Come on, it's really getting late."

" _Don't worry, I'll make it up tomorrow. Promise."_

"Will you actually keep this one?"

" _Mikado, I'm being serious. Something just… happened."_

"R-really? Are you okay?"

" _I'm sorry, I gotta go."_ And with that, the call clicked off. He sighed to himself.

_I hope he's alright._

_**Perhaps he's hurt… we should go figure out what happened.** _

_He sounded like he wanted to be alone…_

"Oh, Ryugamine?" A voice sang in his ear. He blinked and turned towards the voice, only to make eye contact with someone he was hoping to avoid. Izaya Orihara.

"A-ah! Orihara-san, I didn't see you!" Mikado blurted out, bowing his head slightly. A small chuckle sounded.

"Ah…as formal as always, Ryugamine." He said, his chin perched on his hand. "Now what would you be doing out so late? 'Tis not a wise idea to stay out so long after curfew. "

"W-well…um…" Mikado was at a loss for words. He didn't want to say he was waiting for Kida. He didn't even want to talk to Izaya. He was given instructions to steer clear of him. He was told he was too dangerous- far more dangerous than all of the color gangs and even Shizuo Heiwajima. "Um…. Nothing really?"

"Was that a question or an answer?" Izaya asked, eyeing him down. Mikado opened his mouth to retort, but bit his tongue to stop himself. It was pointless to try and argue with someone so… odd.

"What are  _you_ doing here?" He asked the informant broker, eager to change the subject.

"Oh, me? I was taking a nightly stroll and I was in the mood for some coffee. Does that answer your question?" Mikado stared into Izaya's crimson eyes. They were fierce and unwavering. He wanted to hide from his gaze, but he couldn't look away. Those eyes were hiding too many secrets.

_He's lying._

"Ryugamine? It's rude to stare." Izaya said, leaning on his hands. Mikado realized what he was doing and looked down at the wooden table they sat at.

"I-I'm so sorry!" He quickly apologized, bowing his head. His heart started to pump faster when he felt his curiosity get the best of him. He didn't know what to say, and he felt the words tumble out of his throat.

"Hey, um, Izaya-"

"Yes, Ryugamine?" Izaya's grin seemed so sweet, but it was like a venom. Mikado bit his bottom lip and took in a sharp break.

"Are… are you lying to me?" At this, the info broker went silent and Mikado could feel the air in the room get tighter. Those red eyes were leering at him, and they weren't friendly at all. They were deadly. Mikado heard the bell of the café's door opening, and he turned to see the last couple walking out. He figured that it was about time he headed home and stood up to leave. About halfway out of the seat, he felt something sharp brush against his cheek. He was frozen in fear.

"Oh, Ryugamine…" He heard Izaya whisper. "Leaving so soon?" He was trembling at this point. Through his peripheral, he could see the blade's glimmer.

"I-I… I have to go …"

"Mm, but, Ryugamine, I haven't answered your question, have I?" Mikado wanted to cry when he felt the knife break his skin. Izaya brought the knife down his cheek and halted when he reached his neck. Mikado must have stopped breathing. "Don't you wish to know what I'm doing?"

His words were innocent, yet his voice was toxic. He should have left when he spotted him in the first place. Now, he was in too deep. He nodded his head dumbly, watching the steady knife without so much as blinking.

"That's good! This actually might be a little fun!" Izaya laughed, bringing back his knife and shoving it into his pocket. Mikado rubbed his face, feeling blood smear. "In fact, you might make my job a little easier, Ryugamine!"

Mikado's breath caught in his throat. What had he gotten himself into?


	4. Flaws

"Hey, Saki." Kida's gentle voice greeted, a small creak of the door welcoming him. The young girl turned and smiled when she saw Kida standing there, watching over her with caring eyes..

"Hello, Kida." She greeted with a smile. "Have you come to confess your love to me?" Kida chuckled to himself and walked towards the window, staring at the night sky. He wondered just how many stars there were.

"You and I are done. Over with. Ancient history." He explained. He smiled towards the window and murmured, "I'm with someone else now. Someone special."

"Another girl? You know that no girl will ever compare to me. I will always be your only true lo-"

"It's not a girl." Kida suddenly spat, fists clenched. He swallowed his anger and sighed. "It's….not a girl. You got that?" Saki remained silent, as if thinking over this new piece of information. Finally, she giggled to herself. Kida raised an eyebrow and looked over to her.

"Yeah, yeah. Izaya mentioned something along the lines of that." Kida froze.  _How did Izaya know?_ "And just so you know, it won't matter if it's a boy or a girl; they still mean nothing to you."

"What are you talking about…?" Kida muttered, biting his lower lip. "I really care for Mikado. I really, really do." He told her again. He looked at the ground, remembering how he cancelled their date just now.

"But Izaya said-"

"It doesn't matter what he said." Kida interrupted. He was getting fed up hearing that man's name again and again. "I like Mikado. I don't like you anymore. Get over it." That came out harsher than he wanted it to, but it was true. He truly liked Mikado. A lot. He didn't want anything to rough up his relationship any more than it already was. He knew Mikado was the jealous type. He knew that all too well. He had a right to be jealous, after all. He just hoped Mikado understood how important he was to him. It's the whole reason why he doesn't want to lose him to stupid gangs, or informant brokers, or even crazy bartenders. Kida was already a foot deep into the darkness this city had waiting for him, but Mikado had a clean slate. He was naïve, innocent- perfect, if you will. That's how Kida wanted it to stay.

"….Well then, why'd you came here?" Saki asked curiously, still harboring that sickly sweet smile. Kida let out a sigh and sat next to her.

"Because I still care about you. That's it." Their relationship had been shredded to pieces long ago, but he still cared for her. He would still talk to her, still check up on her- and if he had the chance, he would go back and try to save her. But that's not possible, and that fact made Kida livid.

"It's just like Izaya said, you still care for me." She smiled, leaning back onto the hospital bed. Kida frowned. That man. Izaya Orihara. He was the reason he couldn't leave her. The reason he came to her every night. The reason he can't move forward with Mikado. He was the cause of all this.

_Why does he have such a hold on her? What did he do? What did she do? Even now, when she's lying here, unable to move, she still trusts him. I want to free her from him, but how do I go about that? There's no way I can do that alone… I have to keep trying though. Even if it means cutting some time with Mikado, I have to try. I hope he can forgive me…_

* * *

Mikado didn't know what happened first; Izaya suddenly pushing him under the counter, or the men showing up from out of nowhere. He sat under the counter of the bar and listened in on the conversation.

"So who's the girl you want us to snatch?"

"Ah, always so quick to the point." He heard Izaya's muffled voice. "Rio Kamichiki. She's a young girl with nice brown hair pulled into two pig tails. Real sweet girl."

_He's kidnapping a girl?!_

"Hmph. Just so we're clear, we get to do whatever we want with her, right?" One of the men said.

"Whatever you feel like! Go for it! Do whatever pleases your heart!" He cheered in a loud voice. Mikado overheard some shuffling.

"And you have the money right?" Mikado heard a small thump over him on the counter above. He saw a pair of legs come around his side of the bar and his heart nearly stopped. It was Izaya, thankfully.

"Right here. There you go. All laid out for you. Now that you've taken my money, I ask you to take the girl away from this place! That's all there is to it! Plain as day." Mikado felt so scared, it made him nauseous. The sort of feeling you get when you ride a rollercoaster for the first time.

More words were exchanged, and the men ran out of the coffee shop. Mikado couldn't tell if he could come out or not, but he felt his heart leap out his chest when Izaya suddenly showed himself, grinning from ear to ear.

"And now it's your time to shine, Ryugamine!" He called, hands in the air. Mikado almost ran out of the shop right then and there.

"W-what?!" He exclaimed as his arm was pulled. He was yanked out from the gap underneath the bar. "What are you do-?"

"We're going to play with a human!" Izaya explained, sitting by at a table. "I hope this one will be more interesting than the last ones.  _Suicide group_ , heh." He motioned Mikado to sit next to him. He played along and sat at the empty table.

"What do you mean 'play'?" Mikado asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and slumping down in his chair. He felt as if those crimson eyes would devour him in a second.

"It's hard to believe someone could be so predictable." Izaya sneered, playing with his flick knife. Mikado opened his mouth to retaliate, but he bit his tongue again.

_**Let's just shut up for a bit, yeah?** _

Izaya saw his hesitation and smirked. He wondered what could be going through that little brain of his.

"But, never mind that…" Izaya said, sitting up. "I have a small request for you." Mikado looked up, feeling bored.

"What is it?" He said, sounding more rude than intended.

Izaya hummed to himself.  _I just can't tell what he's thinking, this is so interesting._ He thought to himself. Sure, Mikado was very predictable  _on the outside,_ but what is going on  _inside?_

"Well, here's the deal…"

* * *

" _Mikado, you truly have a talent for writing."_

" _You really have quite the imagination son."_

" _You should be a writer when you grow up."_

_They would all say these compliments to him. But they meant nothing. Each time in school when they had the chance to write, it would be the only time he truly put in effort. He hated anything unoriginal. Something new always has to happen, and it didn't matter whether it was good or bad._

_So, during these times in school, he would give it his all. When he wrote, he felt like he was sucked into a different world, and into his special world. There he could make things exciting happen. Nothing would get old, nothing would bore him. He could live in a place where he could always escape the mundane._

_But that wasn't reality. That's why he can't accept the compliments. Because, each time he hears them, he's reminded on how they're not real._

_He knew he was boring. He knew that too well. He was constantly ignored for that. There would always be someone greater than him, someone on a higher level. And he was okay with that. He was fine with being a bystander. He was fine with that._

_He wanted himself to believe that. He wanted to say he didn't have such an ego that would over-rule all his good judgment. But then he would be lying. And, well, that wouldn't be anything new to him. He was always a liar. Even when he was trying to tell the truth._

_He kept his attachment to the Dollars a secret from his parents, because he knew that his parents would forbid it. It originally started as a joke. He didn't know that it would turn into something this big. But… his life with the Dollars… that was something special to him._

_They were his. His property. No one could claim the Dollars but him. He wouldn't allow it. That's why he's never told his parents. He didn't want them to take it away from him. The one thing that made him feel like he was with a family. That he had something 'his'._

_He was always pushed to the side for something better, and he accepted that. He would always do what his parents told him to do, and he'd never stray away. He'd never talk back, always bring home good grades. He was the typical role-model for younger kids._

_But it is all a lie. Even now he's keeping secrets. That…. Is a flaw he_ _**refuses** _ _fix. Sure, he could stop it at any time. But he doesn't_ _**want** _ _to stop keeping secrets. Keeping secrets was a part of him that he can never let go, and he wants someone who can accept that._

_At the same time he wishes for someone to love him unconditionally. That's why he wanted to break up with Kida. Because he_ _**knows** _ _it won't work. He knows that Kida can't accept his secrets and still love him in return. In fact, if there is no one on this planet that can do that, Mikado would rather die alone. If no one can be with him, and accept his selfish needs, he will_ _**gladly** _ _sleep alone at night. He will fall into a dreamless slumber, wake up, repeat, and fall again. It will happen, and he is ready to live with that._

_That is why he's riding on the back of the black rider, holding on the silent bike as it would bray like a horse every now and again. It all felt like one of his stories he'd written long ago. It felt like something he would find in 'his world'. Something truly magical._

_It's why he's rummaging through the inside of a van, searching for the money that Izaya gave to the strangers. He had the chance to run away, and yet he's here with the urban legend, playing Izaya's stupid game._

Mikado stepped out of the van with the suitcase in hand. He looked over and saw three keeled over bodies surrounding The Black Rider. Her helmet turned towards him, then she fumbled for her phone. She calmly typed a message for him to read.

[It's okay. They're not dead. Just unconscious.]

Mikado nodded, still holding the case. He looked back at the van and saw the victim laying in the backseat. Rio Kamichiki just laid there, staring blankly ahead. Thankfully, they had reached her in time before the freaks did anything to her. She was tied up by her wrists and ankles, and a cloth was tied around her mouth to keep her from screaming. Mikado undid her ankles and wrists and took off the cloth from her mouth. The black rider showed up next to him and watched the girl closely.

[Are you okay?]

The girl nodded meekly, rubbing her free limbs. The legend typed again.

[We've been asked to take you somewhere.]

The girl read the text and looked over towards Mikado. She recognized him; he was one of the kids in her classroom. He was holding a silver case with a lock on it, and some other possessions that were in the thugs' car.

She silently agreed, not really knowing what to believe anymore. Mikado didn't say a word, he just waited patiently as the girl got on the back of the bike, and he would join her too.

* * *

Mikado stood at the top of a building, watching the scene unfold. Izaya was toying with Rio, practically feeding her foolish thoughts and twisting her mind. He watched from afar, sitting down and having his chin perched on his hand. He yawned. Nothing spectacular.

Then he watched her tip over the edge, falling to her bloody end. He hated it when people did that; suicide. He believed in life after death, but he still feared what would happen to him. He feared the afterlife more than his current life. So he'd never kill himself, even if his life was a boring mess.

It didn't end how he thought it would though. At the last second, Rio was saved by the Black Rider. That made him happy at least. He didn't like to see death. He was so interested in the scene that he failed to hear the roof door close behind him. He jumped when he felt two hands grip his shoulders roughly.

"Ah, Ryugamine!" A familiar voice sounded behind him. "It's nice to see you're enjoying the show!"

Mikado let out a sigh of relief. "Orihara-san you scared me…" Izaya swung in front of him, smirking like the devil.

"Did you get what I requested?" He asked, now a little serious. Mikado shifted aside and showed him the small case. Izaya grinned.

"Good, good! I'm glad you decided to follow my orders instead of taking this for yourself, that's quite honorable of you." He teased, patting Mikado's head. Mikado looked down shyly.

"Yeah, I guess…" Izaya searched through the stolen items and chuckled. He looked back at Mikado.

"Seriously, I half expected you to run off with the valuables. I guess you're just the type of boy who does what he's told." Mikado bit his bottom lip.

_Yeah... I guess that's who I am. Always being so good. Never doing a single bad deed. That's me._

"How much do you want as a reward?" He asked him. Mikado thought for a moment and shrugged.

"Anything would be fine, I guess."

_The sooner I'm away from this guy the better._

"Really? You know, I  _could_ take off and you would have just done labor for free…" He snickered, opening the case to reveal a rather large amount of money. Mikado tensed up, biting the inside of his cheek.

_**I despise this man.** _

"… But I'm not  _that_ evil! I'll give you a reasonable amount of this, and some of these things you jacked from the van. You see, these men I was working with stole a few things from me. I wanted them back, but if it were me that were to take them back,  _I_  might've gotten hurt. It's nothing personal." His voice was too cheerful, it made Mikado sick. He glared at the older man, shoving his arms in his pockets.

"Orihara-san…?" He began. Izaya looked over. "Why did you do that to Rio?"

"Do you really care?" Izaya asked, surprising the teen. "I mean, if you knew the reason, what would you do with that information?"

Mikado thought for a moment. He really could care less whether Rio lived or died. The concept of death was what he didn't like, but the actual person dying? Most of the time he didn't really care unless it was someone he truly cared about. But, that was something only he should know.

'I-I don't know what you are saying…" Mikado lied, feigning confusion.

"I think you do. You see, I like observing you."

"Observing me?" Mikado repeated. Izaya jumped in front of him, making him flinch. He smirked down at the teenager.

"You want to know why?" He sneered. Mikado narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Well, usually when I want to know something from you I get involved in some sort of kidnapping."

Izaya snorted at the comment and continued, "Simply said, I love humans. To me, they're the most interesting things you can find in life. I like to see them in all kinds of situations. I like to read them and get inside their heads…" Izaya looked past Mikado and out towards the edge of the building, and pushed past him. He walked over and stood over the edge. He looked down at all the civilians, at how they walked by through the streets of Ikebukuro. It made him laugh harder.

Mikado watched nervously, standing up to see what he was doing. "O-orihara-san?" He called out, but he didn't get much of an answer.

"I love them." Izaya muttered in between chuckles. Mikado stepped next to him and raised a brow.

"What was that-" Suddenly, his shoulder was grabbed and shoved towards him. The informant flung his arm out towards the city and motioned Mikado to look.

"Don't you see, Ryuugamine?!" He called out, grinning from ear to ear. Mikado paled. "How much I love these people?! How much I love this freaking job?! I love them! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!" Izaya trembled with excitement and was laughing maniacally. Mikado shivered out of fear and bewilderment.

"I… LOVE…THEM! HUMANS!" Izaya screamed out, pointing towards the beautiful city of Ikebukuro. "I LOVE HUMANS! SO MUCH!" Mikado stared out to the glamorous lights and the passing cars. Even when it seemed asleep, it was lively. People were still out and about, some doing stupid stunts, and some were simply passing by. Was  _this_ the source of Izaya's passion?

"And…. My beloved humans should love me too… isn't that right, Mikado Ryugamine?" He breathed, glancing over at the trembling teenager.

* * *

"Mikado! Mikado!" Kida called from across the hall, before tackling the other in a hug. Mikado gasped and fell backwards. He groaned and looked at the blonde.

"Masaomi-"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I missed our date! I promise I'll make it up to you! Where do you want to go?! This sky's the limit-"He stammered before getting a hand shoved in his face.

"Geez, Masaomi, its fine!" Mikado explained but Kida continued to hug him.

"No, it's not enough! I gotta do something to make it up to you! Anything!" Kida held Mikado closely, ignoring the murmuring students around. Mikado was used to the constant whispering of passing students, so he could care less. He chuckled.

"Honestly, Masaomi. Its fine, I swear." Mikado pushed Kida off him and stood up, Kida following after him.

"But you look WAY tired! How long did you stay up last night?" Kida asked worriedly. Mikado gave a half-smile.

_I stayed up all night stealing from kidnappers, and played cat-and-mouse with a certain informant broker, because of you. Speaking of which…_

"Speaking of which, what came up last night?" He asked, brushing some dirt of his school uniform. Kida stared him down for a minute, then replied.

"Just something important came up, a friend needed help." Mikado answered with a simple 'oh'. Kida smiled softly. "I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble…"

_Oh, no…. no trouble at all!_

"Nah, I just pulled an all-nighter. You know how I am." Mikado said, walking away from Kida.

"Lunch on the roof again?" Kida called out. Mikado smile and nodded, but he felt his blood boil. He was angry.

_**Lunch on the rood? Lunch on the roof?! That's how he's going to make it up to me?! After all that crap I went through?!** _

_Man, I'm so tired… I didn't even get to go on chat last night…_

_**I don't care about the chat right now. All I care about is getting some freaking sleep. Damn that Izaya.** _


	5. Things Begin To Piece

Footsteps were heard as the woman walked up the silent room over to the man sitting by the bright window. It was a decent apartment. Fairly big, clean, and it looked quite expensive. It was the perfect place you'd see a family settle down in. However, the only one who accompanied this household was a young, 23 year old informant broker. Namie didn't have to introduce herself, because the man already beat her to it.

"We've never met before, have we?" He spoke, slowly turning his chair to face her. "I hope that list of illegal aliens was useful, Namie Yagiri." Namie's eyes narrowed at the suspicious man who was smirking deviously at her. "I'm glad to see you. You're chief of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals, it's such an honor for you to visit my humble abode. So please, have a seat miss Yagiri-" Namie didn't care for what the man had to say to her, and shoved the photo of her and he brother at him. He looked down at the picture.

"I need you to find my brother, it's urgent." She demanded, crossing her arms. Izaya raised a brow and looked up at her. "I will pay you however much to find him. I haven't heard a word from him since last night. He should still be in Ikebukuro-"

"Now hold on. He really hasn't been out of contact that long. What's got you so worried?" Izaya asked, curious on the woman's demands. Namie's face tensed up.

"It's the girl he's with. She has a scar around her neck."

"A girl?" Izaya asked, before smirking. "He is a boy with needs after all."

Namie furrowed her brow and clenched her fists. "Get started at once!" Izaya was brought back a bit by the outburst. Such a controlling woman, definitely the role of the chief of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals.

After a small conversation with the stubborn woman, Izaya ended up having to research up where Seiji Yagiri was. Not much was said between the two and silence was in the air once more. But Izaya was fine with that, as he had the next moves planned out perfectly. But, before this plan of his could work properly, he had to figure out if 'this' was true.

* * *

Don't ask Mikado why he had a girl in his apartment. Just don't. Long story short, he ran into a nameless girl who was being chased by the black rider, and she hasn't been speaking since. Yeah, typical day for the Dollar's leader.

It took a lot of convincing to get Kida to believe it too, and with that, he just left. Short and sweet. Mikado still doesn't know how he keeps getting in these situations.

He sighed and looked over at the sleeping girl, and looked at the deep scar that was on her neck. It was jagged and bold, almost similar to…

Mikado shook it off and head to the bathroom to take a shower. He turned the handle to warm and watched as the water flowed down. He hoped that the noise wouldn't wake the stranger he had in the house. He grabbed some night clothes, and a towel and headed to the bathroom.

He quickly stripped and stepped into the drizzle of warm water. He scrubbed his body down and face, and washed his hair. It took him less than ten minutes. He hated long showers. He got out, dried himself and put on his pajamas. He then walked up to the mirror. He inhaled deeply, and then let it out gruffly.

He stared at the foggy mirror, and then used his hand to wipe the cloudiness away. He saw his reflection. His hair was dripping wet, and his face the same. He wiped them both with his towel, and then looked back in the mirror. He saw it.

It made him growl to look at it. Similar to the girl, there was a large scar that was imprinted on his neck. He used his fingers and traced the mark gently, then just shook his head. He bent down and opened the cabinet underneath he sink, and grabbed a foundation he had. He chuckled slightly, wondering what Kida would think if he saw that he had make-up.

He came out of the shower and went to his futon, and shoved the make-up under his pillow. He would make sure to wake up before the girl, and apply it over his scar. He can't let anyone see that scar.

The next day was the same. The girl hadn't woken up at all that morning, so Mikado quickly took advantage and went on his usual morning routine. When he went to school, Kida kept rambling to people about Mikado's situation, but no one believed it. That's good.

The two boys also met a boy of the name 'Ryo Takiguchi'. He was a part of the Dollars, to Mikado's surprise. He didn't think he'd find someone who would proclaim their attachments to the Dollars so easily. He also said how he met a bunch of people who were in the gang, and that they're easy to find. It usually worries Mikado how much the Dollars keep growing every day, but this information actually made him happy.  _His_ Dollars were growing.  _His Dollars._ He knew there were  _some_ bad people in the group, but honestly, the Dollars were good people. At least, most of them were.

"I wonder if Masaomi's hall monitor meeting is over." Mikado asked curiously, walking in the hall with Anri. She simply shrugged and didn't look at him.

"Well, if it isn't then it should be over shortly." She said bluntly, checking the time on her phone. Mikado's shoulders slumped. He could never officially get her attention. The only thing that actually caught her eye were the girls Mika Harima used to hang out with that ran passed them.  
Mika Harima, Seiji's number one stalker, had been missing for some time.

"So, um… Have you heard anything new on Mika Harima?" Mikado asked genuinely, hoping to get a reaction out of her. He only got head shake, so he gave up and just continued walking. That is, until someone called him from down the hall.

"Mikado!" A random kid Mikado has never seen before called. "Masaomi says to go home without him."

_**I bet I know why.** _

"What? Why?" Mikado replied.

"It's nothing. It's just the hall monitors are having a huge argument right now!"

_**I bet they are. I'm sure he's not kissing some girl right now** _ _._

"A-ah… got it!" Mikado called back. He felt jealousy burn from within him, and he swallowed something in his dry throat. He turned back to Anri. "S-so! Um, ready to go!" Mikado wanted to get away from the school, before he snapped. Anri saw that, and nodded quickly. She grabbed his wrists lightly, and pulled him away.

Even if Anri hadn't known Mikado for a very long time, she could tell that he at least cared for her and Kida very much. So she didn't ask twice before walking home with Mikado.

Mikado quickly tried to calm his nerves, trying to convince himself that Kida  _wasn't_ lying to him.

"I-I wonder what he could be arguing about! I mean, it-it could be something small like-"

"Mikado!" His name echoed from above him. Both Anri and Mikado turned and gazed up, only to see Kida waving his arms at them from the school's window. "I'll call and check up on you and the fine chika later! You have to introduce me to her when I get back! LATER!" With that, he disappeared in the window. Mikado let out a sigh of relief, and hung his head. He had gotten jealous for no reason, once again. He was truly pathetic.

Anri must have seen that sad look in his eye, because she instantly tried to take his mind off it. She tried making conversation, but it was lifeless and pointless. After the conversation died down, Mikado smiled at her.

"I'm, uh, glad we became friends." He said meekly.

"O-oh! Yes… I'm glad we're friends too!" She replied fretfully, bowing slightly. Anri didn't seem to be used to hearing that. That made him wonder, just who was Anri? It's easy for a person to put on a façade, just look at  _him._

The two then went to walk home, but they were interrupted by a familiar face.

"You! It's him! It's the guy! Takashi, look!" She exclaimed, pointing a finger at Mikado. He scrunched his face and cocked his head to the side. She couldn't be talking about him, he didn't even know her…wait a minute…

"I-I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Mikado asked, adjusting his girl scowled, and her 'boyfriend' sneered mockingly. She suddenly held up a sparkling phone up to Mikado's face.

"I'm the girl whose phone was smashed by your stupid boyfriend!" She snapped. Mikado blinked, cocking his head once more.

_Boyfriend? Kida? No… He never smashed any phones…_

Mikado got a recollection to when he saw Izaya smashing a phone a while back. Now that he thought about it, they  _were_  next to a group of girls… Oh no.

Mikado's face must have paled so much, because he started to feel light headed as Takashi towered over him.

"This true? Your boyfriend was the one who busted my girl's phone?" He growled menacingly. Mikado's cheeks tinted a little.

"He's not really my boyfriend…" Mikado muttered, looking away. But the front of his jacket was yanked forward, and he was face to face with the thug in front of him. Mikado froze, eyes staring forward.

"Then who is he?! You're daddy?! A brother?!" He spat, glaring down at the teenager. Mikado felt himself relax and his eyelids slanted down half-way lazily.

"Ah… Is that really your other suggestions?" He said back in a dead-panned voice. He covertly reached into his bag and felt something slip into his hand. He didn't care what it was.

"Huh?!" The bully exclaimed, hearing the I-will-hurt-you-so-hard tone in Mikado's monotone voice. "You getting a little saucy there runt! Let me show you where you belong in the food chain!" Mikado's grip tightened around the object, and he felt like he was seeing red.

That is, until Takashi was slammed into the ground by the black rider. Mikado jumped back, his darker side completely vanished. The black rider was just in front of him, kicking the crap out a guy picking on him…. And now Izaya was stomping on the girl's boyfriend… great.

Izaya giggled psychotically as his jumped on the man's back, looking like a little kid who just found a new ride to play on. Mikado eyed the scene tensely.

"Definitely not my boyfriend." Mikado whispered to himself. Izaya slowly came to a halt on his jumping, and strolled over to the girl in front of him. He cackled.

"Are you trying to break my rule of hurting women? What a clever girl you are…" He said, one hand in pocket. "I would ask you out…. But you are  _so_ not my type. Now Scram!" The girl busted into tears and took off down the side walk.

"You're an ass-hole!" She yelled out in sobs. Izaya smiled sweetly, waving his hand in the air.

"Have a nice day!" He sang happily.

Izaya turned to Mikado, and smirked. He looked him up and down, which made him very uncomfortable. "Mikado Ryugamine. I was laying low by the gate just waiting for you."

_Why me?! I'm just a lame high-schooler!_

"Oh really…?" Mikado replied nervously, turning his head away. Even when he wasn't looking, he could still feel those red-eyes on him. Izaya patted his head lightly, making him jump.

"Yes, really—Ryuu-chan!" Mikado nearly keeled over at the nickname. He could deal with "Air-conditioner", he could even handle "Pet", but he could never allow such a gross name like  _Ryuu-chan_. "I wanted to speak to you."

"O-orihara-san…" He warned, stepping back. That's when it hit him. The girl! At his apartment! He had to get back to her- what if she's freaking out?

' _I wonder what's got him so worried.'_ Izaya thought to himself. ' _Maybe it's the little girl in his apartment…"_

"But anyway, what's the black rider doing here?" Izaya changed the topic. Mikado's breath caught in his throat.  _The black rider! It's looking for that girl…. Oh, no… I need to get out of here… now…_

"A-ah...I'm going to be late! Erika said she wanted to see me after school, I'd better head off now! See you Anri!" He said nervously, taking off to his home in hope that the two creeps would leave him alone.

Nope. Not even close.

They followed him every step of the way. He figured that there was no point in trying to run away, and the probability of getting them to leave was close to none. He ended up stopping half-way there, the sun already setting and tainting the city with a hazy orange. He turned back towards the… well, the very  _child-like_ informant broker who was pretending to ride a motorcycle, and The Black Rider.

"U-um… okay…" Mikado started quietly, stopping the two behind him. "If you have something to say, say it now."


	6. Answers are given with questions

Kida always knew they would get together. He always had a thing for the dark haired boy. He was like a small kitten. Bright large blue eyes, soft shaggy black hair, scrawny body. Not to mention his personality; he was so sweet. He couldn't hurt a fly. He was shy and kind and so pure. That's what Kida loved most about Mikado. He's smart, loyal, and extremely cute when he wants to be.

But even for Mikado, he had his faults. And, this one day during the hall monitor meeting, Kida decided to list them to himself on the back of one of his papers.

_**The Bad Things about My Sweet Mikado** _

_**1: His insecurities.** _

_**2: He's a total coward.** _

_**3: A total know-it-all.** _

_**4: If it weren't for me, I don't think he'd ever say a word throughout the day. Neither would Anri, now that I think about it.** _

_**5: Very easy to make jealous.** _

_**6: He still doesn't trust me even though we are dating. He thinks I still can't see it.** _

_**7: Being too formal all the time.** _

_**8: Being way too boring some times.** _

_**9: refusing to kiss or to cuddle when he is studying or when he's tired.** _

_**10: Too gullible.** _

_**11: Always managing to suck the fun out of almost everything we do together.** _

_**12: Being so protective of his phone. What is there to hide?** _

_**13: Never knowing when he is wanted or not.** _

_**14: I always feel like I'm the one pushing the relationship along.** _

_**15: Too blunt.** _

Kida wrote this list because he wanted to show this to Mikado; maybe then they could work on trying to fix these problems. However, after the meeting, he skimmed over the sheet and found himself chickening out. He couldn't show this to him. So he just shoved it in wallet and left on his own. He was still debating on whether or not to show the paper. He decided he would stay over at Mikado's house today to make up for his absence. Though, when he got there, Mikado was nowhere to be found. In fact, the girl wasn't there either. The apartment was empty and that left Kida confused. Did he find out who the girl was? What had happened to her? Was she okay? Was  _he_  Okay?

All of these questions rattled his brain, and he decided that it'd be best to go home and check up on him in the morning. He gave a defeated sigh and began walking home. He reached into his wallet and pulled out the list once more.

He read it over 3 times, 4 times, 5 times. No. This was stupid.

He wasn't allowed to talk about Mikado's flaws when he has too many to count. He crumpled up the paper and threw it somewhere. He didn't care where it went, as long as it was out of his sight. Something inside of him told him to pick it up and destroy it. Something told him that he shouldn't leave that lying around.

He should have listened to that 'something'.

It's only when Mikado is being forcefully shoved to the floor by a couple of strangers that he realizes how bizarre his luck was. He knew there was no point in struggling against these men, seeing as how much bigger and stronger they were. But he still squirmed and twisted and turned; doing everything in his power to escape their clutches.

Spoiler alert: it didn't work.

"Show us where you're hidin' the girl. This strand of hair looks like a girl's hair." One of them said, holding a long strand of hair in front of him. Mikado whimpered fearfully, having nothing to defend himself with.

"L-l-listen! I really don't know! Just let me go o-okay?" The teen stuttered out, but the men just yanked his hair even more than usual.

"As if, kid. You've got guilt written all over your face!" He yelled and Mikado whitened.

"Please, let me go…" Mikado muttered, feeling himself slowly fade away. One of them chuckled into his ear.

"Yeah, we can't do that. See, now that you saw our faces, we'll have to kill you. It's how we do our business." Mikado's eyes widened at the statement.

_They want to… kill me…?_

"So how do you want this done? Want to be killed here, or somewhere more pretty, 'cause this place is as run-down as…" Mikado didn't pay attention to the rest, as he felt his heart rate slow down and the hairs on his neck stand up.

_They want to kill me…_

"We can't man, boss said…" He grinded his teeth and clenched his fingers, eyes slowly shutting. He opened them once more.

_Kill…_ _**Me…** _

Before Mikado could fall into his own darkness, Izaya had kicked his door open, making his transformation drain entirely. The intruders dropped Mikado and ran out the window in a rush. The black rider tried to run after them, but Izaya had explained to her something that made her stop. Mikado couldn't hear anything- couldn't  _see_ anything. He felt like he was seeing red again. Realizing he was still on the floor, he slowly pushed himself up. The front of his head was still sore from his hair being pulled.

"-from Yagiri Pharmaceuticals." Izaya finished, talking to The Black Rider.

"Yagiri pharmaceuticals?" Mikado asked, still hazy from the incident.

"Yup. The ones who sent those guys was a woman, who was the head of the Yagiri Pharmaceuticals." Everything started to piece in Mikado's head. About the girl, about Seiji, about the black rider, about everything. He quickly pushed himself up and stumbled to his computer, turning it on. He typed at incredible speed, and came to a certain website.

**[What's he doing?]**

The black rider showed her text, and Izaya laughed. He put a hand on her shoulder and smirked.

"Jackpot." He stated simply. The woman was confused, but she shoved that confusion away and focused on what was happening in front of her. Izaya strolled over to Mikado and draped himself over him, resting his chin on his head and having his hands on his shoulders. Mikado tried to shake him off, but was more preoccupied with the task at hand than to care as much as he normally would. "You know, I only half believed this was true…" Izaya muttered lazily, a sly grin on his face. Mikado knew what he was talking about.

"I'm guessing then that our meeting wasn't a coincidence?" Mikado asked. Izaya gave a low chuckle and nodded.

"Smart as usual, Ryuu-chan." Izaya replied, and Mikado once again winced at the nickname. Izaya thought for a moment as Mikado continued to type on the computer. "Ryuu-chan, Kiri-kun, Gami, Mika, Ryuga, hmm…." He kept muttering. Mikado glanced at him through the corner of his eye.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm trying to make a good nickname for you. Ryuu-chan just doesn't sound right…" The broker pouted, letting more of his weight on the boy's back. Mikado rolled his eyes, before grinning at his computer.

"Ne, Orihara-san…?" He asked after a minute. Izaya hummed to show that he was listening. "You're an info-broker, right?"

"Why yes I am! How may I be of service?" He exclaimed, happy that the teen needed his help. Mikado thought for a moment, then said,

"I need some info on the leader of Yagiri pharmaceuticals." He answered bluntly. A sadistic grin came to Izaya's face, and he snickered.

"This is not the place to chat, Ryugamine. Let's head to a place more safe, and you'll come too, won't you Black Rider?" The two turned towards the woman, who could only nod.

Mikado watched as the girl stepped out of the car. She had long dark brown hair that reached her back, and a green sweater. She had a pretty face, and a slim body. Mikado knew that this was the girl he was looking for.

"Are you Mikado?" She asked as she walked up to him. Mikado didn't reply. She knew the answer to that question, so why bother. She smirked. "You're a much quieter kid than I thought you were. Or maybe its kids like you that are the scary ones." She intimidated him. No. Frightened him. "So, what's this trade you talked about?"

Mikado remembered when Izaya brought him to Shinjuku and into his apartment, along with 'Celty', the woman who was the Black Rider. It took longer than it should have, but he had to explain to Celty what to do.

"I will tell you where the girl is." Mikado stated boldly, making sure not to stutter. Namie crossed her arms.

"What's your price?"

"I don't want your money." That came out harsher than he expected. Namie scoffed.

"Then what do you want."

"I want the truth."

Silence. Complete silence, apart from the chatter of the crowd around them. And then, a scoff. "The truth? I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Turn yourselves in." Mikado interrupted, clenching his fists. Namie paused for a moment.

"So that's the kind of boy you are." Namie looked at Mikado for a moment, and realized he was serious. Her calm expression turned sinister. "If you harm my brother in anyway, I won't ever forgive you. Anyone who would do such a thing, has to be punished. I won't allow it! You'd have to kill me first!" She exclaimed. Mikado stared at her, expression not changing.

_I see. That's the kind of woman she is. No wonder she can say she doesn't care about her company. The one thing in the world I treasure is me. I would do anything for my sake. That's why… facing someone like her, who uses others as an excuse for her sake, makes me sick._

"You're overdoing it. You sacrificed Harima's happiness for your own ego." Mikado wondered if he looked as pissed as he was on the inside, because if he did, half of the people on the streets would have dropped dead.

Izaya smirked as he watched this entire scenario go down. This was getting more interesting by the second.. The informant wasn't expecting the teen to ask for his help. Nor was he expecting for him to call for a dollars meeting in the middle of the city, then rub it in Namie's face. Oh, and her face. Her face was priceless. The actual epitome of true failure, all from this everyday bystander.

He knew Mikado had a dark side. It was hard to see, and only someone with true skills in observing humans would be able to see the second personality from the boy, and even they would probably overlook it. Hell, even Izaya overlooked it. It was just that slight hint, that slight twitch when Takashi grabbed him, that he realized it. And once you realize that people have a double personality, it's suddenly so easy to see. Every time you see that person, you can calculate what make them twitch, wince, blink, frown, grimace, anything. It almost makes you wonder what the littlest things could mean.

All of this is why, instead of bailing the scene automatically, he stayed and waited for Mikado to come to him. "Humans are quite interesting." Izaya said, catching his wandering attention. "I knew there were a lot of people claiming they were member of the Dollars… but I had no idea that people would actually show up to a meeting."

Mikado just stood there and listened to his speech. He was so obedient, yet he stood there fiddling with a small knife he found on the ground, watching Izaya out of the corner of his eye.

"I know you came to Tokyo to escape the mundane- but in half a year, this will all seem pretty ordinary, won't it?" Izaya shifted his weight from one foot to the next, watching the boy twirl the knife steady in his hand. "Even with all of the crazy occurrences, you would still find yourself lying in bed thinking, 'wow, can this get any more lame', and even so," He paused. "Your boyfriend would also become rather boring-" He stopped when he saw Mikado point the knife at him.

"Look, don't insult Masaomi, or I'll get mad." The boy said, feeling a surge of darkness overtake him. Izaya broke into a small fit of laughter, and Mikado suddenly realized what he was doing. He dropped the knife.

_Again with the unpredictability, Mikado Ryugamine is certainly an interesting one._

Izaya jumped down from the small ledge he was standing on and advanced towards him, who was too busy staring at the ground. He placed his hands on the boys shoulder and gave him a small shake.

"Just so you know, I won't be charging you for Namie Yagiri's private cell phone number. Nor will I be ratting you out on being the founder of the Dollars." Izaya whispered to him, barely being more than 3 inches from his face. "It's your organization, use it however you choose." He finally said. Looking back down at the boy, Izaya twirled behind him and gripped his shoulders. Mikado was pulled back just as a flying vending machine came flying at them. He looked and saw Shizuo heiwajima charging at them with a light post. Even this, surprisingly, was becoming the norm.

"Well, best of luck to you, Tarou-kun!~" Izaya called, waving his arms like a child. He took off down the street with the bartender chasing him. Mikado still stared off at his retreating figure, before coming to a realization.

**-Tarou Tanaka has joined the chat-**

**Tarou Tanaka: Anyone on?**

**Kanra: I'm here~**

**Tarou Tanaka: …**

**Kanra: Hmm?**

**Kanra: What's wrong Tarou-kun?**

_**-Tarou Tanaka has PMed Kanra-** _

**Tarou Tanaka: Orihara-san?**

**Kanra: Yes, my dear?**

**Tarou Tanaka: So, you are Kanra.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I knew it.**

**Kanra: Yes I am.**

**Kanra: And you are little Mikado.**

**Tarou Tanaka: How did you know?**

**Kanra: I'm an info broker.**

**Kanra: I have ways.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I'm sure you do.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I just wish you'd leave me alone.**

**Kanra: Ah, but that'd take away all the fun!**

**Kanra: And I do love to have fun.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I'm sure you do.**

**Tarou Tanaka: But let's not talk about that.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I'm more concerned about my identity.**

**Kanra: Hmm?**

**Tarou Tanaka: You won't tell anyone?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Especially not Masaomi?**

**Kanra: I won't utter a word.**

**Tarou Tanaka: How can I trust you?**

**Kanra: You can't!**

**Kanra: Which makes this even more fun!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Great.**

**Kanra: Oh!**

**Kanra: When you have the chance, stop by Shinkuku again.**

**Kanra: I have something you ought to see.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Okay, I'll stop by sometime.**

**Kanra: You won't want to blow this off.**

**Kanra: It has to do with Kida-kun.**

**Tarou Tanaka: … what about him?**

**Kanra: I'll show you when you get here.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Show me now, Orihara-san.**

**Kanra: Calm down.**

**Kanra: I will show you in person.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Are you lying to me right now?**

**Kanra: Mikado, Mikado, Mikado**

**Kanra: I deceive, I torture and I troll**

**Kanra: But I do not lie**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yeah, like I believe that**

**Kanra: Rude.**

_**-Out Of PM box-** _

**Kanra: Will you be leaving?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yeah, I've got school tomorrow.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Good Night.**

**Kanra: have a good night, Tarou-kun~**

**Kanra: Remember to come soon~**

**Tarou Tanaka: I get it.**

_**-Tarou Tanaka has left the chatroom-** _

**Kanra: No need to be rude.**

**Kanra: After all**

**Kanra: My plan has only just begun!**


	7. More Pain, More Love

_Ring, ring, ring… the person you are trying to reach is unavailable-_

_Click._

_Ring, Ring, Ring… the perso-_

_Click._

_Ring, ring, ring…_

_Click._

Mikado kept calling and calling, lying on his bed. He stared up at his phone in the darkness, looking at how many calls Kida had not answered. 8, so far. It was summer break, and he would be starting his sophomore year in about a month or so. For some reason, Kida had been ignoring him. More than usual. He kept calling and calling, but there was never an answer. He didn't check up on him. Because he knew where he was. He was with that Saki girl, and he had his phone on him as well. He was just choosing not to answer. You'd think Mikado would be mad, you'd think at least  _Rikoteki_  would be mad, but they weren't. He had gotten used to this.

Just before summer break, Kida said that he, Mikado and Anri were going to stay 'tight'. That they would be staying friends.

Look where they were now.

Anri had been acting… suspicious lately. Especially after the whole 'slasher incident'. Suspicious as in, she seemed to be hiding something. Hiding things from your friends seemed to be the new trend these days, like Kida keeping this Saki girl a secret from him. At first, he was beyond pissed that Kida had a former girlfriend that he still had feelings for, and that he never said anything about it. But after a while, he had begun to accept this. And as he accepted it, it got even worse. Kida had continued to skip dates that they planned. And lie after lie, excuses after excuses, Mikado had just been soaking it all up.

He had long fallen out of love with Kida. No… their friendship had fallen apart long ago. At least on his end. He was just staying with him to keep on keeping on. Even if it was fake, any sort of affection was what he needed. He couldn't be alone. He needed love. Even if it wasn't real. Even if no one accepted him, even if no one will join him in his quest to evolve, he needs some sort of affection.

Mikado finally closed his phone after the 9th call. He slowly sat up, and threw on a clean, gray long sleeved shirt. He put on some pants and didn't bother to do his hair. It was pouring outside, and the thunder was pounding in the sky. Even so, Mikado decided not to bring his jacket. He walked through Ikebukuro, and ignored his constant friends pestering him. Simon and his sushi shop, the otaku gang, Shizuo and his vending machines, everyone. He walked out of Ikebukuro, and made his way to Shinjuku. It had been months since Izaya told him to visit, and he decided that now was the time.

* * *

Kida looked at his phone with a frown. It showed 9 missed calls from a familiar He shoved it back into his pocket, shaking the guilty feeling. He let out a sigh before stepping back into the hospital room, and saw Saki once more. It was the same routine, day after day. Nothing ever changes between them. But that was how Kida knew she was still okay. That was how he knew that  _he_ was okay.

Was it still okay to say that he loved Mikado?

Even with all the missed dates and lies, he still harbored feelings for the teen. It was cruel and selfish, but he did. Mikado loved him too… right? Each time he saw his boyfriend, he still let him kiss him. Still let Kida hug him, and still let him date him. Why would he just go through all this if he truly didn't love him?

Was it okay to say that he also loved Saki?

It became clear to him after a while, but he would never tell her that. That would be proving her right, and when she would be proved right, Izaya would also be right. And he couldn't allow that to happen.

It didn't start as being each day, when it came to visiting Saki. At first, it was each month. Then, it became twice a month. Then it became once a week. Soon or later, it became each day. And he kept shoving Mikado away each time. Honestly, he was surprised Mikado had stayed with him for this long. Maybe that's why Kida loved him so much.

And then there were the yellow scarves. At least before, Kida could hang with Mikado all throughout the summer without a care in the world. Now, he had to cut their time short because he had to deal with his gang. Yes, Masaomi Kida was the creator of the yellow scarves. Lately, Anri had been attacked by the Slasher, and Kida was determined to kill it. Even if that meant destroying the Dollars along with it.

He always wondered if Mikado knew about Saki, or that he was the leader of the Yellow scarves. But if that was the case, he would leave him. Period. There's no reason for someone to stick with someone else if their relationship is fake and full of lies. Saki would always love Kida. He knew that. But he didn't know what he'd do without Mikado with him. Mikado was special, he was who he wanted to be with. Saki was special, she was who he wanted to be with. He was torn between the two, and he always hoped that he wouldn't have to choose.

_No use for hoping now…_

That thought ran through Masaomi's head when his lips made contact with Saki's lips. It felt right. To be with her. To finally,  _finally_  be with her. It was a large load off his back. And she loved every minute of it. Saki would be able to handle him being in the Yellow Scarves. Mikado would probably think that he was insane. He's too innocent. Saki, however, would stay with him no matter what. She would love him no matter what. And he would do the same.

That's why he kissed her. And, you know what? It felt good. He felt at peace.

But as the strong weight of the world seem to lift off his shoulders, it felt like a stronger force was put there as a replacement. He didn't feel right. He felt… gross.

* * *

**Shinjuku**

Namie's face turned sour when she saw Mikado standing in front of her. She crossed her arms and looked down at him.

"What do you want, kid?" She snapped, almost slamming the door on him. Mikado's expression didn't change, nor did her offer her a response. He just brushed some water off his shirt and stared her down. After a minute or two, Izaya showed up behind Namie.

"Ah, Tarou-kun!" Izaya exclaimed, pushing past Namie. "What a pleasant surprise! I've been expecting you." Mikado nodded, and he was allowed in. Izaya led him towards the large office area. Izaya strolled over and patted down on the couch, offering for the boy to sit. Mikado was hesitant, seeing as how he was soaking wet.

"Now why would Tarou-kun risk his health by walking all the way here in the pouring rain?" Izaya asked shrewdly. "I mean, you wouldn't want to catch a cold would you?"

"I hope he does." Namie chimed in bluntly, before escaping to a different room. Izaya raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to the boy.

"Oh, don't worry. She's just a tad bit still upset." Izaya reassured. He slowly stripped himself of his jacket and held it to Mikado. The teen started to protest.

"I don't want to be any trouble." He muttered to the informant.

"No way, I insist!" He threw the jacket towards Mikado. "It's rude to leave a guest feeling uncomfortable, especially when it's such a rare visit."

_You are the king of making people uncomfortable._

Mikado glanced at the jacket before slipping it on. It took a minute before his body fully adjusted and started to warm up. But he noticed that glint in Izaya's eyes. That predatory gaze.

Izaya eyed the emperor and smirked. The jacket fit him nicely, and it looked better on him than on the informant himself! It was almost like a token, or a symbol, or maybe a sign of some sort, a sign that declared property. Property of Izaya Orihara. The thought gave Izaya evil thoughts, and Mikado sensed that. He just shook it off and sat down. At that moment, Namie brought two cups of tea and sat the down next to the two dark haired people. Mikado sweated.

"R-really! I don't want to be any trouble, Orihara-san." Mikado started, but Izaya waved him off. Izaya stood and walked towards his desk, grabbed some papers, and brought them back to Mikado. He laid them down flat on the table, and Mikado picked them up. After skimming over the info, he realized that they were recorded plans involving the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars. About how many Dollars were being hurt by the Yellow Scarves, and how they were looking for the leader. Mikado gulped slightly, thinking of what would happen if he were found out.

He turned through the pages, and each one showed more information on the reason attacks. It told him about how the Yellow Scarves wanted to know who the Slasher was, and that if it was in the Dollars that they would crush them too. That made Mikado tense. What if the slasher was in the Dollars? He doesn't exactly keep track on who joins the Dollars. Not to mention, there could be people in the Yellow Scarves pretending to be a part of the Dollars, and he still wouldn't know. But that's not what made his heart sink. The last page. The final piece. It showed the leader of the Yellow Scarves. Masaomi Kida.

It took Mikado a second to take this in, and he let it out with a sigh. But this stuck with him. It hung off his heart, and it made him feel queasy. Mikado wanted to throw up right now. He felt betrayed and screwed over. He looked up at Izaya, who was watching him contently.

"Why are you showing me this?" Mikado asked bluntly, shaking the papers slightly. Izaya shrugged.

"I don't know~" He sang slightly, his head tipping back until it hit the back on the couch. "Maybe I thought you should know. Maybe I was doing this out of the goodness of my heart~" The comment made Mikado nearly choke on his tea, and Izaya frowned. "Now that's rude, Tarou-kun."

Mikado looked at his tea, then back up. "Ne, Orihara-san?" Izaya looked up. "Did… was Kida… with…  _someone_ before I came here?" Mikado didn't know what he was trying to get at, but the question had been burning into his heart for the longest.

"What do you mean, Tarou-kun?"

_Is that my nickname now?_

"I mean…" He paused to think of the right words. "When did… was Kida with someone… while I wasn't here?" After a moment of thinking, Izaya started giggling to himself. Mikado shifted uncomfortably.

"He never told you? My, isn't this awkward!"

"T-told me what?" Mikado pushed on. He knew the answer, but he still asked anyway. The minute he did, he felt a wave of regret wash over him.

"Come on, Tarou-kun. It's not hard to figure out." Izaya shook his head and grinned. "I'll even spell it out for you. S-A-K-I." The teen stared forward, letting this information sink in. So, his suspiciouns from the beginning were true. Kida really was cheating on him prior to their reunion. He was right. He was always right.

Mikado brought the tea cup to his lips and sipped some tea. He felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He mumbled, "So, how much are you going to charge me for this?"

"You know me so well, it's like we've really grown close to each other." After seeing the face Mikado gave him, Izaya got serious. "In all honesty, I'm not really planning on making you pay for this just yet. But, in due time, you will…"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Mikado asked, more defensively.

"So predictable." Izaya stood up once more. "I will be back in a moment, I have to speak with a certain Ms. Yagiri." With that, he strolled out of the room. Mikado sat there, silently. He stared at the paper, eying the photo of Kida. His first thought was to get mad at him for keeping this a secret from him, but then he just shook his head. This is the exact same thing he was doing. The difference? Mikado created the Dollars so he could have something to benefit his life, but he had no idea why Kida created the Yellow Scarves.

Mikado glanced around lazily, looking at how clean the apartment was. Call him a little curious, but he wanted to see what the informant had in his room. Curiosity killed the cat. He opened the drawer on his desk, and lied there a crumpled up, dirty and worn piece of paper.

He shouldn't rummage through unknown things, but he did it anyway. He unraveled it and read the title out loud. "The Bad things about my sweet Mikado" It wasn't forged. He knew Kida's handwriting better than anyone's. Izaya couldn't have been toying with him right now.

_What the hell is this? Why would Kida make a list about me… the bad things?_

He read down the list. Slowly, and carefully. He read it once, twice, and even three times. It was too much to bare. He didn't cry, though. He just stared at the ground with colorless eyes.

… _..My insecurities… Cowardice… Jealous… annoying… too borin… too blunt…_

_**I shouldn't be surprised.** _

Mikado shoved the note in his pocket suddenly, and went back to sit on the couch. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. He started to tremble. It happened again. He was pushed aside for something greater. There was always someone greater than him. He would never be greater.

Mikado continued to wait for Izaya, and quivering at the same time. His eyes were blank, and he ducked under his arms. He looked like a child who lost their parents. The footsteps of a smirking informant suddenly sounded.

"And there you have it." Izaya started, his evil grin showed broadly on his face. Namie watched this from the second floor, a frown on her face. "This is the final straw. You've finally been broken. You've been cheated, lied to, and now you've been downgraded by someone you thought would only think of your upgrades. Looks to be not." Mikado just sat there with his forehead resting on his knees now. Izaya continued. "You won't be able to escape this."

…

"This boy, Masaomi Kida, will become the one thing you need in life. It will be the one thing that will always be greater, the one thing you mirror your actions based on. If this is the case, Kida will become your God, in a sense." He sneered, crouching down next to him. Namie scowled. She would always hate Mikado for trying to separate her brother and her. That is something she will never forgive. But this was different. Mikado didn't look like Mikado anymore. That shy, pathetic boy that she originally had confronted long ago, was gone. Instead, there sat the shattered pieces of that pathetic boy, right next to the informant. But he wasn't even done then.

"Now, this never would have happened if you had simply listened to me. I even told you, the only way to escape the everyday mundane, is to be constantly evolving. It doesn't matter where you're aiming; high, or low." Izaya finished, still staring at the silent boy. He was about to walk away, when Mikado made a noise. Izaya smirked because it sounded like a whimper. But it faded when he realized it wasn't. He was laughing. Those 'whimpers' slowly developed into snickers and sneers, and at this point, Namie left to move a game piece on the checkered board.

Izaya frowned. He couldn't tell when he was thinking. Why was he laughing? That wasn't a part of the plan.

"Ah… but you're wrong, Orihara-san." Mikado whispered hoarsely, snickering madly now. Izaya turned back towards him, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Oh? And how is that?" He asked, feeling himself become more interested by the second.

"You see… I did listen to you. And I did try to evolve, I did try to escape the mundane. I didn't want my life to be normal. But now, I understand. Just because you keep evolving, doesn't mean you escape the everyday life." Izaya listened to this curiously. Mikado suddenly looked up, and blue eyes made contact with red ones. At that moment, a sadistic grin came onto Izaya's face. "It's when  _the world_  evolves constantly, and  _you_  are the one who becomes  _the mundane_ , that you can finally escape it."

* * *

"Hello, my boobyliscious Anri-chan!" Kida joked as he strutted towards her. She blushed slightly before bowing before him.

"Good morning, Masaomi." She greeted. Kida looked around and frowned.

"Where's Mikado?" He asked. Anri shrugged.

"I have no idea. I tried calling him, but he won't answer. Nor will he reply to my text messages." She replied. Kida went silent. He took the phone out of his pocket and checked his calls. 9 missed calls. That meant that Mikado had stopped calling him around 7:00 P.M yesterday.

What if Mikado got in an accident?

What if he was jumped?

What if he was lying dead somewhere?

Kida instantly clicked his boyfriend's number and held the phone to his ear. It rang, and rang, and rang, until he got the voicemail. He sighed and shoved the bad thoughts out of his head.

"I guess he's just not coming, or maybe he's sick. It was pouring yesterday." Anri nodded slowly, and began heading to the Russian sushi shop. Kida followed her. But the weight was still on his shoulders, and it hurt.

* * *

Izaya was  _such_  a nice person. He even gave Mikado the privilege to sleep in his own bed. He should be grateful, not even the great Namie can do that. He laughed silently, thinking of how 'worried' Kida must be right now.

_How selfish of you Kida-kun. After breaking one of my toys, you go to such an extent to try and glue it back together. Like that will work. Humans are mine. And if one of them are broken, well, I will watch them try to piece themselves back together. But Tarou-kun is different, Kida-kun. He is one of my favorite humans. And I will not just watch and let him be taken away by someone who treats him as poorly as you. But…_

Izaya smirked down at the boy.

_I have to thank you, Kida-kun. I knew that all Mikado needed to finally pull him out of his façade was a small push in the right direction. I was plotting on how to do the push, when you suddenly came in and practically shoved him beyond his good judgment. You actually helped me, so I thank you._

"Hey, wake up kid." Namie snapped angrily. Mikado opened his eyes and sat up slowly, staring down.

"So rude. No wonder you don't have a boyfriend." Izaya teased before Namie glared at him.

"I don't need a boyfriend. All I need is Seiji." She answered, walking out the door. The informant looked back at the now awake boy.

"You fell asleep here, remember?" He informed. Mikado nodded slowly, moving out of the bed.

"Whatever."

"Aw, is Tarou-kun feeling a little down today?" Izaya joked. He reached into his pocket to pull out Mikado's phone, showing many new messages and missed calls. "Maybe he'll feel better knowing that Kida was worried about him all day?" Mikado suddenly looked up with hopeful eyes at Izaya.

"W-was he really?" He choked out, nearly tripping. "How worried was he?! What do the texts say?!" He instantly lunged for his phone, yanking it back and checking through the messages anxiously. Izaya frowned. He thought that he had broken that weird connection he had with Kida. He thought that Mikado finally stopped clinging at him for life. Apparently not. In fact, it only seems like he made it worse. It almost seemed like Mikado was clinging to Kida even more.

This called for a change in plans.


	8. Secrets come into play

"Mikado!" Kida called when he saw him the next day. Mikado looked up and smiled at Kida, who wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him into a long kiss. Kida pulled away and hugged Mikado tightly.

"What's this about?" Mikado asked while pushing Kida off him.

"We missed you yesterday. Where were you, man?" He asked with a sad smile. Mikado thought back to the night before, and feared what Kida would think. He just gave a small laugh.

"It was nothing. I just wanted to leave the area for a bit and get some fresh air." He lied. Kida gave him a long look before sighing.

"I got you." Kida said before grabbing Mikado's arm. "C'mon we haven't hung out in forever." At the end of the day, Kida dragged him everywhere they went. More so, it felt like he was forcing himself to do it. Like it was a chore. It made Mikado a little sad to think that Masaomi was so guilty for being with Saki, that he'd try to force himself to be with him. It really hurt, but he kept up with it. He didn't care if they had fallen out of love… or were they ever even in love? Was he forcing himself from the beginning, or was it just because of Saki? Whatever the answer was, he didn't care. He just wanted to be with Kida. Or someone. As said before, he needed some sort of affection, even if it was fake. It made him feel secure, in a way.

Thinking this, whilst Kida rambled on and on about pointless events, Mikado clung on to his arm and leaned his head on his shoulder. Kida glanced at his love and he realized that he was at a loss for words. He felt the guilt grow stronger and the air in his chest tightened. The rest of the walk home was in silence. They both knew it was over- why were they holding on so much?

Reaching up to Mikado's home, they stood there in silence for a moment. Mikado was still holding onto his arm, and they both stared at the doorway. A few seconds passed by and he finally released Kida, stepping up to the doorstep. He placed his hand on the knob and looked back.

"Goodnight." Mikado said, only a little louder than a whisper. Kida stared up at him. He should just tell him. He should just dump him right now. Stop all of this pain. Let the remains of this relationship be put to rest. He should have just said it.

"Goodnight."

But he didn't.

* * *

_**Shinjuku** _

"Welcome, Kida-kun!" Izaya greeted happily, opening to door for Kida. He looked half dead and worn out. "Please have a seat!" He sat down on the couch, and Namie had already started up some tea for him. Izaya sat across from Kida, smirking in a way that made the blonde want to hurl.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Kida?" He asked creepily, sipping some tea. Kida didn't bother to even touch his drink. "The last time I saw you make that kind of face was when you were in middle school. That being said, your face was all adult. Okay, enough with the reminiscing. Welcome back." The last two words were said so mockingly at the boy. Kida clenched his fists and shot a glare at the informant. He gave a snicker and sunk back into his couch. "I already have a clue to what you're about to ask, and I was planning to answer you over the phone but that seemed inappropriate seeing how serious this is. I heard a friend of yours got slashed. What was her name again? Anri Sonohara?"

"Yeah…" Masaomi said through shut teeth. He caught a glimpse of those red eyes staring him down, and he looked away awkwardly. Izaya set down his cup and observed the young gang leader. He was practically begging to be put to sleep, and his hair was in a mess. His clothes were wrinkled and dirty. Izaya wanted to laugh at how pathetic the boy looked.

"Now, what would happen if this young girl had gotten mixed up in these gang wars? Well, I'd say it'd be just like your situation with Saki all over again." This time Kida looked him directly in the eye, as if daring him to say more about the girl. "Let me guess; you thought you really loved Saki in the beginning, but you were more worried for your own skin then hers. Thus making you to believe that you were only after her body, or just to toy with her. This gave you the thought that you didn't love her nearly as much as you thought you did. But after spending time with her and realizing how much she wants you, you decided to just play along and act like you really cared about her. Soon enough, these fake feelings turned back into 'love'. But is it really love? Or are you just after her body again? I bet these are the things you've been thinking about." He explained with an amused grin.

Namie set down a few supplies upstairs and sighed at the broker. "Does that guy ever quit…?" She muttered to herself before continuing on with her work.

"This concludes that you are now confused on whether you truly know what love is or not. You think this because if she were truly your lover, you'd have no problem risking your life for her. So, Anri will be the final test to this." Izaya sighed leaning his head back across the edge of the couch. Kida narrowed his eyes.

"If that's what you wanna believe, go ahead. I could care less." Izaya opened an eye and looked lazily at the teen. Kida had a look of determination in his eyes. "I just want to finish this personally."

"What are you saying? Do you mean killing the slasher, or taking down the dollars?" Izaya questioned while sitting up and leaning forward over the table.

"Depending on your answer, it might be both." He growled. He didn't mean to sound so angry, but he couldn't help it.

"Now that's the spirit!" The informant hissed creepily, standing up. Placing a hand on his hip, his mouth formed an evil smirk. Kida didn't like that. At all. "Time for the truth, the facts, and the reality. You know, the three are usually quite different, but not in this case." Kida frowned at him. "Tell me something Kida; how's your boyfriend doing?"

"My what?" Kida asked, the look of determination washing away.

"Your  _boyfriend._ What was his name again? Oh yeah, Mikado Ryugamine!" Izaya felt his hate for Kida burn stronger. He was starting to reach Shizu-chan's level, and that is not something any ordinary human can do. He didn't know why he felt such disgust towards the teen, or why it bugged him for Mikado to be so attached to Kida.

"What does he have to do with any of this?!" He spat, stepping towards him. Izaya chuckled.

"Well, I thought that since he was  _so_ important, that he would be concerned for you with the Yellow Scarves and Saki-"

"SHUT UP!" Kida suddenly snapped, much to the amusement of Izaya. Namie looked over the railing curiously. "I don't care if he's my boyfriend, or friend, or lover or whatever! This is my business not his. He's still the same. A little naïve but doing okay…  _living each day like it's the best thing ever._ " The last sentence was sad through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.

"Oh?" Izaya teased. "It seems that there was a hint of jealousy in that tone. Is that the life you want?"

"He doesn't need to be a part of this-"

"He already is." These words stopped Kida dead in his tracks. Izaya smirked, feeling himself have the upper hand. Namie shook her head before moving one of the game pieces on the board to a new spot. "Isn't that great? Mikado is living such an  _easy and calm_ life here, yet he's the one who causing you pain and misery."

"What…what do you mean?" Kida shouldn't have asked a question he didn't want to know the answer to.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? Mikado Ryugamine is the leader of the Dollars." It was said so casually, as if Kida was supposed to have known this already. But this was news to the blonde.  _His_ sweet, generous, shy little boyfriend was the leader of the unknown gang that could have the Slasher? And worst of all, Izaya Orihara was the first to know? That didn't even sound right. He shook his head.

"No way." He finally said. Izaya crossed his arms. "I won't believe it. Not in a million years, he's too innocent for that. He's harmless."

"Innocent? Maybe." Izaya pondered out loud, putting a hand up to his chin and looking away. "Harmless, however, is a lie."

"You've said enough. You don't even know Mikado, and he doesn't know you." Kida adjusted his scarf and stared down Izaya.

"I could tell you facts about Mikado that even  _he_ doesn't know himself." The other said as a matter-of-fact.

Kida scowled. "You're an informant broker. It's only natural you would."

"It doesn't matter whether I'm an info broker or a random guy across the street. As his boyfriend, shouldn't you know most things about him? I mean, how long has it been? 5 years? 6?" He chuckled and walked in circles around the teen. "And as his boyfriend, shouldn't you be loyal to him, and at least dump him before running off with Saki-"

"Say one more thing and I'll-"

"And you'll what? Will you send the Yellow Scarves on me? I wonder what Mikado would think about that…" Kida looked up at him, feeling tense.

"You have contact with Mikado?" Kida felt like he didn't even know who he was talking about. Is this what Mikado was hiding from him the entire time? What else could he be keeping from him?

"Does that really matter, Kida-kun? Think about it, you should be more worried about Mikado's safety-"

"I am, by keeping him away from you. I'm not going to let him be led astray from the likes of you."

"Kida-kun, when have I ever led you astray? All of the mistakes that you've made have all been by your hand, not mind." Izaya sneered, making Kida growl. "Why the angry face? Are you trying to say that it was my fault that you dated Saki-"

"I was 14. I was stupid, clueless and I didn't know what I was doing." Kida shoved his hands in his pockets, turning towards the entrance. "As for what you did, you fooled me and Saki into trusting you- and you have no excuse!"

Izaya jumped in front of Kida. "Oh~? Even though you were only 14, you sure as hell were not clueless and stupid. In fact, I think you knew very well what you were doing."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Kida suddenly snapped, slapping his hand away from his face. It was replaced by a knife to his throat.

"It means that I only abuse my  _toys;_ my  _humans_  you could say. You, on the other hand, abuse  _everything_  close to you. The Yellow Scarves, your friends, yourself, Mikado-"

"Why do you care about him?! I don't care if you hurt or manipulate me, just leave him be. He doesn't deserve it!" Kida pushed past him and exited through the door, slamming it on the way out.

_Ah, Kida-kun. Always the protective type. However, even if I were to manipulate you other than Mikado himself, that would most likely break him even more. I don't know why or how you got such a hold on him, but in the end it shouldn't matter. It doesn't change a thing who I hurt first, both of you will break. And when you do, the war will finally begin, and it'll be a war only I can win._

* * *

**Tarou Tanaka: So, how's everyone been?**

**Setton: Pretty good. Nothing new.**

**Saika: It's been pretty good…**

**Tarou Tanaka: Oh?**

**Tarou Tanaka: We have a new member? Was this the one whose account got a virus?**

**Setton: Yes. She joined not too long ago and is still a little knew to everything, so be nice.**

**Saika: I'm so sorry…**

**Tarou Tanaka: No, really!**

**Tarou Tanaka: It's fine! It was just a virus!**

**Tarou Tanaka: It wasn't your fault.**

Mikado smiled sweetly at the screen. Saika reminded him of Anri. Sweet and was the only time he could truly stay honest with himself. Over the chat, he felt like he had his true friends. They wouldn't backstab him, hurt him, judge him… cheat on him, degrade him, lie to him…

Mikado shook this from his mind and focus back to the chatroom.

_**-Kanra has joined the chatroom-** _

**Kanra: Hello, my lovely friends~**

**Setton: Hey there.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Hi, Kanra.**

**Saika: Hi…**

**Kanra: Oh, Tarou-kun did you already meet our newest member without me?!**

**Kanra: How rude!**

**Kanra: Friends are supposed to do things together!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Cut that out, Kanra.**

**Kanra: Wha?**

**Kanra: No way, so the rumors are true...!**

**Tarou Tanaka: ?**

**Kanra: Tarou-kun has fallen out of love with me!**

**Kanra: Oh, woe is me~**

**Tarou Tanaka: It's not what it seems, Saika.**

**Saika: Oh…**

_**-Setton has PMed Saika-** _

**Setton: They're just joking around.**

**Setton: It happens every time here.**

_**-Out of PM box-** _

**Saika: Okay.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Hm?**

**Saika: I understand now, thank you.**

**Kanra: ?**

**Setton: Oh**

**Setton: I'll teach you how to use the PM box later, Saika…**

**Saika: Hm?**

**-Kanra has PMed Tarou Tanaka-**

**Kanra: Oh, Tarou-kun~**

**Tarou Tanaka: What, Orihara-san?**

**Kanra: I have a proposition for you~**

**Tarou Tanaka: ?**

**Kanra: How would you like to become my assistant?**

**Tarou Tanaka: ….**

**Kanra: Seriously. You can think of yourself as an underground agent, or maybe even a spy if you want to be creative!**

**Tarou Tanaka: Don't you already have Namie?**

**Kanra: Well, sure, but maybe I don't want her to be my assistant.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Even if I said yes, she wouldn't allow it. She hates me.**

**Kanra: And what if I tell her off?**

**Kanra: What if I make her deal with it?**

**Kanra: Don't you forget, I'm Izaya Orihara, the info broker, I have some dirt on her.**

**Tarou Tanaka: You also have dirt on me too.**

**Kanra: Yup~**

**Kanra: But if you become my partner, I'll make sure it won't be brought to anyone's attention.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Everyone but you.**

**Kanra: Exactly.**

**Tarou Tanaka: And why should I do this?**

**Kanra: Don't you wanna escape the boring aspect of everyday life?**

**Kanra: This way, there won't be one dull moment in your life.**

**Tarou Tanaka: That might be, but won't that, eventually, become the mundane as well?**

**Kanra: Maybe, maybe not.**

**Kanra: You'll just have to see for yourself.**

**Kanra: And don't forget, this way you'll be able to keep an eye on the Yellow Scarves.**

**Kanra: Which means Kida-kun as well~**

Mikado thought over this information. It was true that, even though he was practically suffering from the neglect of his boyfriend, even though the Dollars were at war with the Yellow scarves, it was all starting to become the everyday life. Nothing changing, nothing new. Not to mention he needed to keep an eye on the Yellow Scarves, if he wanted to save the Dollars. The Dollars were everything to him, they were  _his._ He won't let them be destroyed by some stupid gang like the Yellow Scarves.

_I'll never let them be defeated by something so pathetic. They are mine. And if there is someone trying to take that away from me, they will have to fall._

**Tarou Tanaka: You will have to clarify a few things.**

**Kanra: Okay! Ask away~**

**Tarou Tanaka: You cannot give my info to anyone after this day. Which means if you already have given it away, not to anyone else.**

**Kanra: Really, Tarou-kun~**

**Kanra: Do you have that little faith in me?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yes. Exactly so.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Next, you can't hurt any of my friends with your stupid tricks.**

**Kanra: Aww…**

**Kanra: Can I still toy with Shizu-chan?**

**Tarou Tanaka: I could care less. Just keep me out of it.**

**Kanra: YAY~**

**Tarou Tanaka: Third, this is between you and me.**

**Tarou Tanaka: I don't care for what reason, you can't tell.**

**Kanra: Understood ^-^**

**Tarou Tanaka: I'm serious.**

**Kanra: I'm serious too.**

**Tarou Tanaka: Last thing.**

**Tarou Tanaka: DO NOT hurt Kida. I don't care what the reason is. Out of all my friends, he can't be touched.**

Izaya frowned over the other side of the chat. Mikado was truly confusing. You think he will step with his right, but then he'll step with his left. He wished he could understand what kept Mikado so loyal to Kida. At his place, it seemed like the emperor had finally broken down, but it only seemed to make him stronger. It was not going by Izaya's plan. And that's what made this so fun for him.

_I wonder how this will end, Tarou-kun… it seems that you won't be too easy to break. But that's okay, I like playing games. Let's see who'll win._

**Kanra: Alright. So, what's your answer?**

**Tarou Tanaka: Yes, I will be your assistant.**

* * *

_**The Next Day** _

Kida walked down the street with his head hung low. The conversation he had with Izaya was still going through his head. He had almost forgotten to visit Mikado and Anri, but it seemed like Mikado had already began leaving.

"Yo, Mikado!" He called, running up to the teen with Anri. He looked a little spaced out and distant. "What's up? You seem down…" Kida was doing all he could not to punch his boyfriend in the face. This was the lie he had been keeping from him. Being the leader of the Dollars, hanging with Izaya, going behind his back... But he wouldn't go off at him, because that was the exact same thing he was doing to him.

"It's Takiguchi." Mikado replied bluntly, with a sad face. Kida frowned. Takiguchi was, even though it wasn't obvious, a good friend of Mikado. When Kida was absent or sick, Takiguchi was the guy he hung out with in his place. "He got jumped by the Yellow Scarves last night. I'm going to the hospital." With that said, Mikado walked off with a gloomy feel to him. Kida felt something pull at his heart, seeing him so sad. He wanted to relieve that pain, but he knew he couldn't. He was the reason for his pain, after all _ **.**_

* * *

_**Yellow Scarves Hideout** _

"So, I guess I didn't make myself clear." Kida muttered in the gang hideaway. One of the men in front of him stepped up to explain, but was met with a punch to the face. This sent him back and dropped him down some steps. Every watched in awe, turning towards their leader. "Now do you guys get it?"

"What the hell is your problem?!" Someone yelled at Kida. "It's as plain as day that the Slasher is in with the Dollars, and yet you stand by and do absolutely nothing!" The blonde looked up from his phone he was searching through and shot a cold stare at his gang. His hazel eyes that were usually so warm and cheerful were as freezing as ice. It sent shivers up the gang's spine.

"I said before; no attacking unless you get actual proof on who actually did it…" He trailed off when his eyes caught a glimpse of a girl peeking through the cracks of the large hideaway doors. As soon as he made eye contact with a pair of glasses, the figure disappeared. Suddenly, one of the men came rushing into the room. When approaching Kida, he got down on one knee and gave a small bow.

"Chief!" He exclaimed. "We just caught a girl who was spying on the group!"

_Why is Masaomi-kun….?_ Anri thought frantically as she scrambled away from the group. She ran behind the building and squeezed her way through a small gap in the frame. She sat down and hugged her knees, listening as many of the Yellow Scarves searched for her. She heard Kida talking and commanding the others where to search. Finally, she saw his feet approach her. She pulled her knees closer, as if trying to make herself seem less noticeable. Just before Kida could see her, he was called elsewhere. Anri let out a long sigh of relief, then whipping out her phone. She texted Celty quickly.

Soon enough, the black rider came barreling across the streets, before using her bike to scale the wall of the hideout. Kida and the Scarves watch in amazement. Celty came across Anri and held out her hand to her. She hopped on the dark bike, and a hazy fog smoked around her head. The fog formed into a helmet that covered her entire face.

"Thank you so much, Celty-san!" She thanked, before the rider scaled the wall once more, showing herself infront of the Yellow scarves. Kida eyed the black rider and smirked.

"Well, now. It seems that the Black Rider is a woman! Or are you just a man with a bit too many curves? If you are a girl, I would be glad to make you my woman! A lady is as only as fine as her clothing~" He teased, winking at the rider. Celty felt a wave of confusion hit her. Wasn't this Masaomi Kida, the partner of Mikado Ryugamine and the friend of Anri? Anri clutched onto Celty even harder, burying her face within the suit. Kida looked over curiously at the girl. Celt suddenly understood.

_I get it. She doesn't want him to see her. I don't know what's going on, but I get it Anri._ The black rider thought before the bike was transformed into a dark horse that braid so loudly, Kida had to cover his ears. The horse began to gallop away at high speed, when one of the thugs grabbed a crow bar.

"HEY! NO ONE MESSES WITH THE YELLOW SCARVES!" He screeched, throwing the metal at them.

"No, don't!-" Kida exclaimed, but was halted when a long sword sliced the metal in half. Bright red eyes leered at the gang, and a sharp Katana was shown brightly under the moon light. Without a minute to spare, the horse continued its journey away, leaving Kida and the Yellow Scarves in shock.

* * *

_**Hospital** _

"Hey man, thanks for the visit." Takiguchi smiled at Mikado, who was sitting beside him in the hospital room. The brunette had a broken arm, and a swollen, darkened face. Mikado nodded slightly.

"Well, it's only right." He answered. After an awkward silence, one of them spoke.

"Hey, man. You didn't tell anyone I was in the Dollars, right?" The crippled boy asked. Mikado blinked before shaking his head. "Good. Then I wonder if it was Kida who did it…"

"No way, Kida wouldn't rat you out like that. Maybe the Yellow Scarves are just that sneaky." Mikado replied softly, looking down at the ground. Was Kida responsible for the attack his friend?

"Maybe…" Takiguchi mumbled to himself, playing with his phone. Finally he looked up. "Hey, are you sure you're not in the Dollars-"  
"I'M NOT!" Mikado screamed, before realizing how loud he was. His chair had fallen down the moment he stood up, and a fellow nurse peaked into the room. Takiguchi gave Mikado a long look before smiling sweetly. He awkwardly sat back down, avoiding the gaze of his friend. Somewhere outside the hospital room stood an informant, hanging onto a sturdy fence. A smirk was painted on his face and his eyes screamed mischief.

"Oh, Tarou-kun~" Izaya laughed from afar. "You are always so unpredictable~"

Mikado suddenly shivered in front of his friend.

"What's up with you? It's not cold in here at all." Takiguchi pondered to himself, but Mikado just waved him off. Another chill ran up his spine, and he snuck a glance out the window of the room. He was watching. He was there.


	9. Phase 1

As Mikado started his sophomore year, he had already began conducting business with Izaya. Namie completely rejected the idea of having Mikado work with them, but Izaya made sure to use enough blackmail to shut her up. Since then, he's been constantly in and out of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Shibuya, the three main subparts of Tokyo. It wasn't really noticed by anyone, since he usually stayed indoors. The otaku gang thought that Mikado was just hanging out with Kida, Kida didn't notice much of a difference, and even Simon didn't have much of a clue on what Mikado was doing. But there was one person who noticed the teen's errands.

"Hey, Simon…" Shizuo asked while smoking a cigarette. The Russian looked over curiously.

"What is it? You want sushi, now?" He asked with a thick Russian accent. Shizuo shook his head.

"Nah, but that kid, Mizako or whatever, has been acting sketchy lately. He's been leaving to Shinjuku a lot." The bartender suddenly growled, thinking of a certain informant broker. Simon looked him over before smiling.

"Calm down, Shizuo. It misunderstanding. He probably just visiting relatives." He replied contently, still handing out papers to walking bystanders. Shizuo shot a glare at him.

"Does his relatives consist of Izaya?!" He snapped, smashing his smoke in his hand. "I'm telling you, something weird is going on with him!" Shizuo suddenly let out a rough sigh before slouching his shoulders. He didn't like the thought that a kid was working for his worst enemy, and even worse if Izaya was manipulating the kid to do his dirty work. But one good thing did come out of this, since Mikado had been acting weird, Izaya hasn't set a foot in Ikebukuro. It's actually been quite peaceful around the city… well, if you don't count the gang wars.

"Shizuo, fighting always bad." Simon reminded him, when he saw the bartender walk towards the way to Shinjuku. The blonde waved him off and continued. He didn't want to hurt Mikado, really. He just wanted to see what was up. Kids from Raira academy should be at home studying, socializing, dating, all that weird crap. Not sniffing around the main cities of Tokyo.

When Shizuo reached Shinjuku, he caught a glimpse of a small group of people. Mikado didn't seem to be there, but it was a group of three tall men talking to two small kids. The three men were in dark suits, and the boys were dressed casually, but they had two dark blue shark masks over their heads. It was quite comical to see two 'sharks' talking to three businessmen. That is until the men were suddenly shoved by the kids into a smooth vehicle. The car drove off quickly. It was done in an instant. No bystander seemed to notice, except for Shizuo.

One of the sharks looked Shizuo's way, and began walking towards him. He was shorter than his twin. The bartender cracked his knuckles and growled, seeing that he had to fight. But then the taller twin held the other back, shaking its head at him. Shizuo was starting to get pissed off at them, and grabbed a nearby street sign, ripping it off the ground, and started towards them. Suddenly, a tiny figure wisped through his eyes and sliced the sign in half. He gritted his teeth and turned around, completely forgetting the shark twins. And there he was. Izaya Orihara.

"I-za-ya-kun…" Shizuo sung so mockingly. The informant was wearing a long black coat that reached his feet, and he had a smirk plastered on his face.

"Well, hello Shizu-chan! What brings you to Shinjuku, I wonder?" He teased playfully, but there was another feeling behind those words. Disgust.

"Just trying to figure out your scheme, you flea!" Izaya rolled his eyes and played with his flick knife.

"Oh, Shizu-chan… you always were the blaming type. But that's fine, I guess it just makes things more interesting~ However, let me tell you something; you are the one who came parading into my city, not the other way around." Izaya put one hand on his heart, and one over his head. "Shizu-chan isn't going to murder me in my own home is he? That would be too cruel!" Shizuo growled.

"Don't test me, flea…" He hissed. Izaya raised a brow, before grinning,

"Weren't you talking to those boys before I came?" Izaya reminded. Shizuo immediately turned around and realized they had vanished. When he looked back at the broker, he had also disappeared before his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath before letting out an ear numbing scream.

"IZAYA!"

* * *

The two twins had scurried off until they were out of sight from the bartender. They panted slightly, before one of them stood up straight.

"Are you crazy?! Picking a fight with Shizuo Heiwajima!?" He exclaimed worriedly. The other hung his head low and sighed.

"Sorry, Mikado-sama…"

"We're lucky Orihara-san was there, or else we would have really gotten in trouble…" He said while slipping of the cloth. His hair had grown slightly, as he was now able to part his hair to his liking. It was parted on the left side of his head, and his bangs were half-way to his eyebrows. "Aoba, I thought you covered my tracks?"

The twin removed the mask and showed a dark haired boy, shorter than Mikado, with bangs to his eyes. He had bright blue eyes, and a slim figure. He shifted awkwardly before muttering, "I didn't think anyone would follow this time…" Mikado sighed in frustration before running a hand through his hair.

"Geez, Aoba…" He groaned. His ears suddenly picked up some quick footsteps, but he realized who they belonged to. A pair of arms wrapped around his neck and he was pulled into a tight embrace.

"Tarou-kuuun~" Izaya whined as he held him. Mikado blushed slightly, trying to pry the arms from him. "Why did you leave me when it was starting to get interesting?"

"Because I don't want to get caught in any mess that has to do with Shizuo." The teen replied bluntly. Aoba rolled his eyes at the two before turning towards the informant broker. "Okay, we got the kidnappers. Who were they exactly?"

Izaya dropped his arms and stepped in front of him. "Just a few interesting humans I want to look at. Nothing more." Aoba glared at him.

"How about you give us meaningful jobs instead of snatching up these meaningless people?!" He snapped. Mikado flinched slightly and stepped back, but Izaya held onto his shoulders.

"They are not meaningless, Aoba-kun! They are my humans, after all~" Aoba just shook his head and walked off. Mikado turned around and faced Izaya.

"You two get along well." Mikado stated bluntly. Izaya patted his head and handed him some money. The leader sweated at the amount. "U-um… do you want me to split it with Aoba or…?"

"No way, Tarou-kun! This is all for you." Izaya laughed gleefully. Mikado looked down shyly and nodded.

"Thank you, Orihara-san…" He mumbled, trying to ignore the evil smirk the other was giving him. He suddenly looked up. "Are you… giving me this money because of my new apartment…?" He trailed off. The words hung in the air for a minute before Izaya replied.

"Now why would you think th-"

"Give me an answer, or I'm not taking your money." Mikado interrupted coldly while shoving the money back to him.

"Ooh, scary Mikado is scary! But, joking aside, you are half right and half wrong. I heard that you were getting a new apartment somewhere in Shibuya, and when I did some research I saw that it was quite expensive. Are you planning to sell your old apartment to pay for your new one? That might help, but with the bills and the taxes, that will quickly go down the drain. Do you have a real job?"

Mikado thought for a minute before shaking his head slightly. "I've been getting applications, and no responses yet. And I still don't know if I'm ready for Shibuya…"

"What? Why not!? If you want it then go for it, I insist!" Izaya exclaimed, shoving his hands in his pockets. This would be perfect for the informant. The new apartment would get Mikado away from Kida and Shizuo, and would make his job with him so much easier with them out of the way.

"I don't know… I told Kida about it, but he shot it down immediately…" He answered sadly. Izaya frowned, trying to read the story from the boy, but drawing blanks. Mikado suddenly perked up. "But let's not talk about that right now!"

Izaya opened his mouth to retaliate, when Mikado interrupted again. "H-hey, where'd Aoba go? Aoba! Aoba!" He called out, running off. As his voice faded, Izaya felt himself tense up even more.

* * *

**Monday**

Kida walked through the halls of the school like a ghost. There was no pep in his step, no flirtation, no cheery behavior. Just going through the motions of the day. During lunch, he would check up on the Yellow Scarves, and see what they were doing. When the school day ended, he would check on Saki. Then he'd wake up and repeat.

Mikado noticed this and started to worry. So after school that day, he ran up to Kida and decided to join him. "So how's it been?" He asked nervously. Kida barely looked at him.

"Fine."

"…We've got a ton of homework right?"

"Yup."

"…We haven't talked in a while…" Kida just grunted as a reply. "…You know, Takiguchi was talking to me the other day. He was talking about how he got pictures of Anri in really inapropriate outfits!"

"Good for him."

Mikado frowned. He thought that would have caught him, and he would've said something like 'let me see my boobyliscious Anri-chan!'. Apparently not. "I also saw the black rider the other day…"

"Uh-huh."

"Shizuo threw a mailbox at me yesterday…"

"Really, was it fun?"  _He's not even paying attention anymore! I'm tired of being neglected like this!_

"Kida, I hung out with Izaya Orihara the entire weekend." He stated bluntly. Kida just shrugged and walked past him. Mikado's heart sank, and he ran up to him. "Why don't you listen to me anymore?" kida didn't reply. "Why don't you talk to me anymore?" No reply. Mikado stepped in front of Kida and pushed him lightly. Kida snapped his head up and glared at him.

"What?!" He growled. Mikado's eyes narrowed at him, and Kida felt himself be overpowered by the darkness of the stare.

"If you hate me, break up with me already."

"I don't hate you, what gave y-"

"Well, you don't love me."

"Of course I love you!" Kida exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "Why would I have stayed with you so long if I didn't love you?!"

"Masaomi, I just-"

"You know what? You've been like this since day one! Always being so paranoid, never trusting me, and lying to me. You act like I did anything to hurt you! I did nothing but care about you." Mikado's dark glare faded and was replaced with a solemn one. "Why do you always have to weigh me down Mikado? I thought that bringing you to Ikebukuro would make us both happy, but you're the only happy one here. You're living like every day's the best day ever! Meanwhile I have loads of problems, and most of them are caused by YOU."

Mikado's blue eyes looked up sadly at Kida. "And don't give me those eyes. I used to trust those eyes… now they belong to the damn leader of the Dollars!"

Mikado sighed, looking at the ground. He could sense that Izaya was watching this somewhere nearby. "Look, Masaomi…"

"What are you gonna say? What are you gonna do?" Kida pushed on, stepping towards him. Mikado stepped back slightly. He felt his hair stand up. "Are you going to tell me that I'm wrong? That  _I_ was the one causing you misery? That you were justified in creating a gang, and never telling me?!" He snapped, pushing Mikado roughly up against the wall. Mikado felt himself change, but he held it down for Kida's sake.

"Masaomi, calm down-"

"NO. Why should I? You're the one that came at me. You just couldn't live a peaceful life here, right?"

Mikado shot a cold glare at him. "I wasn't trying to hurt you-"

"But you did!" He yelled angrily. Mikado flinched. "You've done nothing but made me suffer the last couple months!"

"I didn't try to! Stop blaming me for all this…"

"And in the midst of all this… you want to move to a different city…" Kida mumbled to himself, then looked up to the other. "Tell me something, when have I ever caused misery for you? I've always been there for you! Sure, I missed a few calls, but I was there in the end." Mikado opened his mouth to speak, but closed it immediately. He saw Izaya standing not too far from where they were, watching him closely. From Mikado's view he looked… like a mixture between provoked and interested. It was weird, but it felt like Izaya was pleased yet disgusted to see this.

_Come on, my little emperor. Put on a show for me…_ Izaya thought with a smirk.

"Exactly. You can't think of anything." Kida spat coldly. There was a small pause, and Kida rested his hand on the wall next to Mikado's head. "So, are we over or not? Because I can't tell anymore. Is this a game to you? It's called, 'let's see how long I can lead Kida on before he goes insane'. If that's the case, I guess you're the winner."

Mikado hung his head, clenching his fists. He bit his lip hard, drawing some blood. "Masaomi…"

"What? Are you going to break it off with me? Because I want to!" Mikado paled. "Let's break up!" Kida didn't know why he was so angry. It was a combination between the Dollars, the slasher, and Mikado himself.

"W-what…?" Mikado breathed, gazing at his now 'Ex'. Kida crossed his arms and stood tall.

"I said, I'm breaking up with you, Mikado." When Kida said that, he felt like someone stabbed him in the heart. Why did he feel that way? He was the one breaking up with him, so why does it feel so bad? "I'm sorry, I just think it's for the best…"The brunette stared at the ground, before letting out a shaky sigh. His eyes closed and he hung his head. He nodded his head sadly, showing that he understood. However, Kida wasn't done yet. "But can I just ask… why? Why would you lie about being innocent, when you are the leader of the  _fucking Dollars?_  Why did you get yourself involved with all of the things I told you to stay away from?!" Mikado just listened silently, not even looking into Kida's eyes. Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands grab his shoulders and shake him roughly. This was the final straw. "Why did you do this?! Why-?!"

The sound of the punch could be heard for miles. Kida fell back, his cheek swelling up. Everything changed in the eyes of Kida. He didn't see the sweet, happy Mikado he thought he knew. He saw a lonely, sad, tired Mikado. He didn't realize how tired he looked until just now, and he never looked more sad and lonely than right now.

Mikado breathed heavily, feeling himself fall into darkness. He walked over and stood over him, with a blank expression on his face. Kida felt like he had never seen this side of him before.

"I don't care anymore." He muttered darkly. The words echoed in Kida's head. "I'm done with this. With  _you_. With the  _Yellow Scarves_. With  _Saki_." Kida's eyes widened. "I'm done with it all." He stared Kida down for the next few moments before turning around and leaving the scene. It was in slow motion for Kida. He hadn't expected that from Mikado, nor did he expect to get such a cold and dark stare from him. He slowly stood up and held his cheek, a bruise began to form, then began to walk away silently, thinking about what he just happened.

Meanwhile, Izaya began clapping at the show. He leaned his head back and busted out laughing. He even held his stomach, leaning over from laughing too much. After his laughter came to a halt, he gave a long sigh of relief and his clapping to a stop.

"Time for phase two."


	10. Phase two: part 1- recalculation

Izaya skipped off happily towards the leader's house. He kept giggling psychotically to himself, scaring some walking bystanders. All the while, he kept singing 'Tarou has been awaken, Tarou has been awaken!' with an evil grin on his face. He strolled up to the apartment while looking around to see if Mikado was around. Strangely, he wasn't. Pushing that aside, he picked the lock to his door and stepped in. A gush of cool air hit him, and he shivered.

"Why is it so cold in here?" He mused to himself, putting back on his jacket he had tied around his waist. The whole room was empty and clean. There wasn't much in there to begin with, but there wasn't a speck of dirt anywhere. The kitchen was spotless and the dishes were put neatly away, and the main room was empty except for his computer set and futon. "Hmm, I didn't know that Tarou-kun was so tidy. This seems strange…"

He walked around some more, but there wasn't a lot to see. Finally, he reached the bathroom. As the rest of the home, it was neat and clean. Oddly, neat and clean.

"Okay, something's going on around here…" He opened the cabinets. Nothing. He opened the shower curtain. Nothing. "Hmmm…." He stepped out and went to the main room. There was his computer, and his futon. He sat down in front of his computer and tried to log in. Locked. You could barely get into the starting screen without some kind of code.

"Now that's no fun~" He whined, leaning back. His eyes fell on his futon. He crawled towards it and lifted the pillow. "Bingo!" He exclaimed when he saw a small box. When he observed the box he lifted a brow. It was a foundation for skin.

_I wonder why he would have makeup. Never mind that. Why is he hiding it?_ Izaya thought. He looked around and tried to piece together what was going on with the emperor. He then heard footsteps coming from outside, so he decided to put back the box and sit back.

Mikado stepped in, wearing a cold expression on his face. It didn't change when he saw the informant sitting in his apartment with a cheesy grin on his face.

"What are you doing here, Orihara-san?" He asked bluntly, setting down his bag. Izaya stood up and moved to hug him, but he was rejected.

"Hmmm~ Mikado Ryuugamine is saying no to me? The very Izaya Orihara, the famous info broker who knows all of his secrets? My, something must have happened to cause this. I wonder what…" He teased playfully, baring his teeth. Mikado just shook his head and pushed past him, heading over to his computer.

"You know exactly what happened." He growled, quickly typing in the password to his computer, then logging into the website. Izaya came over and draped over Mikado, resting his chin on his head. The teen glared at the broker, and tried to shrug him off. Seeing as it was useless, he began typing on the webpage. Izaya snuck a peak at the screen.

"Hmm? You're disbanding the Dollars?" He asked, feeling bored with the circumstances. "How original." He mumbled. Mikado grunted in reply, before sending the message. He suddenly got rapid messages of people protesting to this, and how mad everyone was getting.

"The Dollars weren't anything in the beginning…" He started, grabbing Izaya's attention. "They were just nothing. Random people. Everyone else had a color, but we didn't. What's changed now? We are still invisible, they still don't know their leader, and they are still unknown. Nothing's changed." With that, he turned off the monitor, and stood up, nearly knocking over Izaya.

"So, let me get this straight…" Izaya said, crossing his arms. "Back at my place, you said that the only way to truly escape the mundane is to become the mundane itself, and have the world change around you. However, it seems more like your trying to keep the world from changing, no?"

"Everything needs to be evolving in order for the world to stop changing. If I were to stop something, the world would try to readjust itself so that it could in sync with that something. That's how I escape it, anyway." He explained. "Now, once again, why are you here?" Izaya put a hand on his chin, thinking over the information. Finally he looked up.

"Oh, that? Well, I just happened to be in the neig-"

"Give me the truth." Mikado interrupted. Izaya looked him over for a minute before snickering.

"How do you always manage to catch me when I'm lying?"

"You're more transparent than you appear." He replied. Mikado headed to the kitchen and went into the pantry.

"Well, can't I visit my dearest acquaintance of mine?" Izaya cooed.

"Not unless you have a good reason." Mikado growled in reply. He let out a sigh, realizing he didn't have much food. Izaya smirked, thinking that it was time to pull his plan together. Just as he was about to speak, Mikado beat him to it. "Oh, I have something important to ask of you."

Izaya listened curiously as he continued. "Before I ask of this, I have to know if you can keep a secret."

"Oh?" Izaya breathed. "Mikado Ryugamine is asking an informant broker to keep a secret? That doesn't seems smart."

Mikado's face went serious. "I'm serious. Can I trust you? Aren't I your apprentice or whatever?" Izaya opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. "And don't forget that I have some dirt on you too."

_**That being said, he also has a lot of even more dangerous info on us as well.** _

_That is true…._

"Ooh, Tarou-kun is threatening me!" The informant chuckled before stopping. "I can assure to you that you can trust me. I might be devious but I'm not evil!"

_Yeah, whatever Izaya-san._

Mikado nodded. "Alright. So, that apartment in Shibuya, I decided to take it."

There was a pause.

"That's it? Aw, Tarou-kun, you got me all worked up-"

"I don't want anyone to know." Izaya stopped and listened. "I will be leaving soon, and I don't want anyone knowing where I am, not even Anri or…" Another pause. "Kida. I will attend school there, and I won't be back for a while."

Izaya thought for a moment before snickering. "Well, by how you worded it, it sounded like you'd be returning."

"Well, after I go through high school, and maybe college, depending on how long it'll take to get my degree, I'll come back."

Izaya spoke, "And might I ask why you've decided on this. Just two days ago you were against the idea because your boyfriend—oops! I mean ex—told you no." Mikado stiffened a bit, before calming down.

"My name's gotten around that I'm the leader of the Dollars.  _I wonder who ran their mouth."_ He hissed through clenched teeth, glaring at the man in front of him. The broker rose his hands up in defense.

"Now, now, no need to be pointing fingers-"

"I know you told Kida." Mikado walked up to Izaya, giving him a fierce gaze. Izaya was eating all of this up. He had no idea how entertaining this boy could be. "As I said, you're more transparent then you think. But in a way, I have to thank you." The smirk faded from Izaya's face. "I probably would never have told Kida about my attachment to the Dollars, and he would never confess to being a part of the Yellow Scarves. It's just how it is. We would've fallen out one way or another. But now that you've told him, my plan will fall into action, and if I my calculations are correct, and they usually are, then this will all work in my favor."

Izaya pressed his lips together and looked down at the teen, who wasn't looking away either. "I don't know what plan you were making," Mikado continued. "But I'll make sure it's foiled. Starting off with stopping you from doing to the Dollars what you did to the Yellow Scarves long ago. Then going into stopping you from trying to break me, just like you did Kida. I'm not like him. And I'm  _not going to end up like him, no matter how hard you try."_ The last part was said with malice and determination. Mikado stepped even closer to Izaya, to where their chests nearly touched. His eye's never strayed from the red ones. Izaya leered down with content and slight anger.

He didn't think that Mikado would have seen through his plan so easily. And this whole moving ordeal, and disbanding the Dollars, was meddling with his plans harshly. Which made Izaya wonder, what was Mikado's plan? Dangerous red eyes were locked on the pure blue ones in front of him, trying to find any hint of fear or hesitation in the boy. Perhaps he was lying. A bluff. When people lie, their bodies show it. Whether it's their heartbeat, body movements, or vocal problems, it always shows. This was not a lie. And Mikado knew it. Izaya had wanted to start a war,  _a game perhaps,_ with the leader. Sure, the teen never agreed, but all along Izaya had been dancing along, having the upper hand in the graceful partnership. Right now, Mikado owned the dance floor, and was leading Izaya into the next move. He was starting a war with the informant broker. This brought an eerie grin to Izaya's face, and pure disgust to Mikado's.

"My, my, Tarou-kun… you sure have become a handful…" Izaya started after a moment of silence. "You are certainly different from Kida-kun. In many ways. And the Dollars are different from the Yellow Scarves. But I'll play your game." He walked around Mikado, circling him like a predator. "I want to see how long you'll try to go against… a god." Mikado scrunched his nose.

"I thought you were an atheist?"

"Haha, I am. I don't believe in God. There is no real proof he even exists. The past is something to ponder on, indeed. But being here," He gestured to all around him. "And looking down on  _my_ humans, well, I can't help but feel like a god. And you know what? It feels pretty good!" He gave a menacing laugh before slowly going silent. He shot a killing glare at Mikado. "Are you trying to take my humans away from me, Tarou-kun?"

Mikado suddenly busted out laughing, catching Izaya off guard. Moments of laughter later, Mikado looked up at him. "Ah, I couldn't steal your humans if I tried. See, humans are nice, but I'm only interested in three things. Wanna here them?" The other perked up. "Me, myself and I."

Izaya stared at him for a few minutes, just staring. They didn't speak after that. It was just dead silence. Finally, those red eyes shifted to his pillow, and then back to Mikado. He reached out and ran the cold ring on his finger around his neck area, making the other tremble and shudder immensely. Another smirk came across his face, and Mikado didn't like that. He tried to smack his hand away, but he felt a familiar object rest against his neck, making his stop dead in his tracks. He looked up into Izaya's eyes and saw something lurking behind those red orbs. Something Devious...

...Recalculation.


	11. Puzzle Pieces

_**SIX YEARS AGO** _

**"Is that him over there?"**

**"** _**Keep it down! He'll here you!"** _

_**"Right, right! Sorry."** _

A black haired boy turned his head to the noise coming from behind the school halls. He looked around but couldn't find the owner of the voices. Finding nothing wrong, he shrugged it off and continued his merry way out the door. It was the end of a long school day. This boy's name was Mikado Ryuugamine. An odd name. One you would see in some kind of anime or one of those childhood tv shows.

He was going to walk home. It was his first time walking home by himself. He was around the age of ten. Most kids start walking home at this age. It was nothing special, but to Mikado, it was. A whole world at his feet, staring at him, waiting to be explored by his eyes. The farthest he's ever been on his own is to the fence in his back yard. Now, he was able to see other amazing things in his town. The different faces, the cool new cars and the occasional deer that will jump into traffic. It was mind-blowingly fascinating to him.

His parents were really sheltered though. They had heard rumors of many myths and tales of things around the world. Street thugs, gangs, monsters, etc. They wanted to keep Mikado safe, to keep him innocent. Though, this day, the parents were held at bay by their day jobs and decided to let him walk home for once.

The boy had a smile on his face. The sky was big and endless. It was big and blue for miles, but it was then cut off by a wave of storm clouds coming from the north. It would rain in a few minutes, so Mikado decided to take a shortcut home. It was the shortcut his mom always took while driving.

_**"We got him!"** _

Mikado definitely heard something this time. He stopped and looked around. He was walking by a one-way road, walking through the grass. The road did an incline, so he couldn't see what was down the road. The boy felt a large breeze hit him, and thunder shaking the earth. He wasn't too far from home; only a few minutes. He had no time to stand around looking for nothing. He started to advance up the incline. There were no cars passing by.

**"** _**Now!"** _

Mikado felt a couple of stronger hands grab his shoulders. He whipped his head around to look at the owners, but he felt something hard struck his face. Was it… a fist? He couldn't tell. He had never been punched before; it felt overwhelming. It left him in a daze, a shock… and that was just enough time for the assaulters to make their move.

**"** _**Grab the rope!"** _

_**"Got it!"** _

Mikado lifted himself from off the ground, wincing in pain as he felt the side of his head pulse. A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and yanked him back, while another pair through a thick piece of rope around his neck. The little emperor couldn't comprehend what was happening. Who was doing this to him? Why were they doing this to him?

_**"Where are we taking him?"** _

_**"Nowhere near the road, stupid! Someone will see!"** _

_**"Gotcha!"** _

The voices weren't deep enough to be an adult, but they weren't high like Mikado's. Were they teenagers? The kids pulled the boy along further away from the road. Any screams and sobs the boy had were unheard through the rustling wind and the loud booming of the thunder.

Mikado turned his head, finally getting a glimpse at the assaulter. They weren't teenagers. Preteens. Mikado knew these boys. They were only a few years older than him, just a few grades. They were the punks of the school, you know the ones. The ones where when you were in school as a child, and they would always be an extra five minutes late to class, or they would always have to go to the bathroom at the start of class-but then never return. The type of kids who would either grow out of their immaturity, or dwell in it for the rest of their childhood.

_Why are they doing this?! What did I do?! I… I don't even think I've met them!_

The kids brought him further through trees before throwing the boy at the trunk of one. Mikado immediately jumped up and tried to run away, but one of the boys yanked the end of the rope back and choked him to the ground.

_**"Where do I tie the end…?"** _

_**"To the branch above. Make sure to tie it tight!"** _

Mikado was pulled by the rope off the ground, and he could feel the rope dig into his neck. Tears ran down his face, but he couldn't scream. The rope was suffocating him. He never felt such an overwhelming feeling. Such fear, so much pain in his chest. He felt like he was being engulfed; no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't breathe. His neck felt like it would snap at any minute.

_Please…. Stop. I'll do anything… just stop. Don't kill me…._

**"** _**Tie it tighter. He can still breathe!"** _

_**"I don't know, man. I think we should untie him."** _

_**"He'll rat us out! We can't stop now."** _

_I don't want to die…! I won't say anything! Please…_

Mikado thrashed around, trying his hardest to shake the rope from his neck. Out of nowhere, he felt the thick rope cut deeper into his neck. Were they tying it tighter? He couldn't stand that; no human is made to withstand this. He started sobbing, crying out for his parents to come for him.

"M-Mom… Daddy….!" Mikado choked out. He heard one of the kids laugh.

_**"He really is just a brat! He's crying for his mommy! Look at the poor little baby!"** _

_**"Dude, this is messed up! I'm taking him down!"** _

_**"NO! You agreed to do this! Don't chicken out now!"** _

_I don't want… I don't want to… No… NO, NO, NO!_

_**"No! I'm not going to kill the kid!"** _

The other boy pulled out his pocket knife and snapped the rope off the child's neck. Mikado fell to the ground, gasping for air. It was still hard to breathe since the rope was still tied, but he could at least  _breathe._ He reached for his neck, and he felt something warm and wet. His vision was blurry, but when he raised his fingers to see the substance, all he could see was red.

_What… what is this…? B-blood….?!_

… _._

_Blood…._

_**"See man! This is why you don't mess around with this shit!"** _

_**"Why did you do that!? Now we need to get out of here!"** _

_**"And just leave him? He's just a kid!"** _

_**"So are we! That doesn't make us special! NOW LET'S GO!"** _

Mikado looked up with dark eyes. One of the boys looked at him with remorse, but he still ran off with the other. They got passed a few trees before the ringleader turned to give one last glance to the boy he just scarred. Mikado just stared at him, with cold eyes that stayed with him from that day forth.

_Why would anyone do this? I didn't do anything…I didn't…_

_**I hate them… so much… Who do they think they are!?** _

… _?!_

"Y-you…!" Mikado choked, tugging on the rope. In the distance, he could hear the sound of a police siren. The boys left the scene that instant, but Mikado remembered them. Remembered their faces, and remembered what they did.

_**You are… gonna pay..!** _

_Who… who are you?!_

_**One day… I'll make them suffer…!** _

…  _We will… together._

* * *

Mikado opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. That memory was burned into his brain. How could he possibly forget the first day he discovered Rikoteki? His eyes hung at the roof for a second before drifting to his window. It was raining, just like that day. It was practically a storm outside; his memory still left him cautious of rude stopped staring when he heard his phone go off. He clicked open the screen, and he saw the name, Aoba. He put the phone to his ear.

"Yes."

" _Ah, Mikado-sama. Is that you?"_

"Hn."

_"Good. I just wanted to talk to you about the recent reports on the gangs. The yellow scarves have nose-dive when it came to activity. There's been rarely any ambush attempts lately. The dollars have been laying low-"_

_"_ There is no Dollars."

_"Eh?"_

"There are no gangs, really. Just a couple of kids. There is no Dollars, or Yellow Scarves, or Blue Squares."

_"B-but the Blue Squares are real! You saw them! And the Yellow Scarves are everywhere-"_

"If there is no Dollars, there is no other gangs. We were the originals, we were the predecessor; they were our copies. The yellow Scarves would have been nothing without me. The Blue Squares were trash anyway."

Aoba looked at his phone curiously. Mikado wasn't acting right. He almost questioned what he was planning to do next. He was the leader of the blue squares, and it was his gang. He wanted to kill Mikado for talking about HIS group like that. He was trying to ease Mikado into the idea. Letting him wear the shark mask, treating him with dignity and respect; as if HE was the boss of the two of them. No. Aoba knew better. Mikado was below him. He feigned a smile over the phone and lightened his tone.

" _Hey, Mikado-sama? Would you like to join me at the warehouse tonight? I'm sorry if it seems sudden-"_

"I have more important things to take care of."

_"H-huh? But—it's important! I have something urgent to tell you-"_

"I'm sure whatever it is can wait a day or two if you won't tell me over the phone. I, however, have a task that cannot wait."

_"But Mikado-sam-"_

_CLICK_

Mikado sat up and turned his phone on silent. He went to his closet and checked his bags he stuffed in there. He was already packed and ready to leave for Shibuya. He was still concerned on how he was going to get the money to get and pay for his apartment. He sighed in annoyance. He couldn't forget about college. That was going to be a bitch to pay for; and he'd hate to ask Izaya for any cash. He was never comfortable in the presence of the informant, but now he actually had to watch his back.

Twenty minutes later, Mikado jumped in the shower. It was the middle of the night, but he didn't care. His schedule was off anyway. When he turned the shower off, changed into his usual jacket and pants. He glanced at the mirror; the scar. Prevalent as always, but this time he wasn't going to cover it. There was no point anymore. So what if everyone thought he hurt himself.

He stepped out of the bathroom drying his hair. He picked up his phone and saw 5 missed calls. He shook his head. He checked the chat. Kanra was online. His finger twitched. He was going to join, but he decided against it. He didn't want to talk to Izaya right now. He had to finish packing up his stuff. He shot a glance at the clock; 12:54.

There sounded a knock at his door. Mikado narrowed his eyes; who could it have been? Was it Izaya? No… not this late. Anri? No, she never comes over. Kida? Possibly, but by the harsh sound of the knock, Kida was either really pissed, or that really wasn't him.

He checked the peep hole in the door. He couldn't make out anything. Was someone covering it? Mikado began to tense up. He slowly crack open the door to catch a peak. Suddenly the door busted open, knocking the boy to the ground. A group of men grabbed Mikado and held him down on the ground. One of the men grabbed a fistful of tape and slapped it on his mouth. Another one took a blind fold and tied it around his eyes. Mikado thrashed and punched everything in range, but the intruders were strong and were able to hold him down.

They tied his hands back and pulled him out the door, with his muffled screams only to be heard by them and a certain someone. Mikado was pulled into what seem to be a van, or some sort of vehicle. Rikoteki was screaming from the inside, and mentally cursed the assaulters out. He could hear them talking; something about directions and the police. Mikado decided to quiet down, seeing as screaming was going to get him nowhere. He felt a hand being placed on his head.

"Thanks for quieting down, Mikado-sama…" That voice. It was Aoba. Mikado glared through the cloth. So it was him who was behind this. "I'm sorry for tying you up like this, but you just weren't being cooperative. Would you like me to take the tape off your mouth?" Mikado nodded. Aoba smiled and brought his hand gently to Mikado's mouth, and then forcefully ripped the tape off. The sophomore gritted his teeth and hissed in pain.

"Aoba." Mikado growled. A hand covered his mouth.

"Ah-ah. Only talk when I say." Aoba grinned. "Mikado-sama, how do you feel about being the leader of the Blue Squares?" He lifted his hand off the others mouth. Mikado thought for a minute before opening his mouth.

"I knew something was up with you. You're the founder of the Blue Squares." Mikado growled. He had known Aoba for around a year. He was the one who taught him about the school. Aoba had spent more time with him than he had with Izaya's sisters. He should've known something was wrong with him. He should've figured it out when Aoba begged Izaya to be his secondary assistant. It was just to get to Mikado.

"You're so smart." Aoba snickered. Mikado opened his mouth to speak, but it was covered again. This time, the tape was back. "We can talk more at the warehouse. Right now, think on the idea." Aoba returned to the front of the van. Mikado growled under his breath, but decided to be patient.

Outside the van, a certain informant stood a few kilometers from the boy's apartment. He watched through a pair of binoculars, a smirk on his face. He couldn't help chuckling under his breathe every so often.

"Oh, Tarou-kun. What will you do now?" He muttered to himself with an evil grin. He had seen Aoba and his gang a mile away from his home, but he wanted to see just what the little boy was going to do with this human. He hoped that he would break him. Since he had met Mikado, he simply thought he was interesting. He wasn't like most others; he was two faced and intelligent.

Although, from the events that had conspired this week, Izaya's casual liking and interest to Mikado had turned to hate and obsession. There was a major shift in feelings; Mikado was no longer his 'friend', if that even was the correct term. He hated the boy, and almost everything about him. Seeing through his plan was one thing, but trying to foil it was another. Humans were supposed to obey their superiors, and rebellions were deleted from the system.

Mikado was no exception; he needed to be stopped. Annihilated. Killed. Izaya wanted to scold himself for letting this human even get close to beating him. It wasn't the same hate he had with Shizuo. He hated the bartender because he simply was not human. He couldn't be; he was nothing but an uncontrollable monster in the guise of a human. Despite that, others still love him. Others still appreciate the brute, even if they were scared to death of him. That's why he hated him.

But Mikado was different. Everyone loved Mikado, for good reasons. They loved him because he was innocent, because he was harmless, because he was a normal kid in a screwed up world. Despite the love, the emperor was unhappy. Why was he unhappy with love? Perhaps it's because it's not love he wants; perhaps it is worship he seeks. Yes, that was it. Izaya refused to worship anyone below him, especially not a human of all things. Humans were supposed to worship him; a God.

Izaya's smiled crept up his face, turning malicious. He watched as the van turned at an intersection, disappearing form his view entirely. Hopefully Mikado wouldn't be returning in the morning. He never liked Aoba, but if he would end the emperor's life, it would change everything. His smile turned ear to ear.

"Keep making those faces and you're sure to grab the wrong attention, Izaya." A deep voice sounded behind him. Izaya's murderous smile dropped and he faced Shizuo. He clicked his knife in his pocket in defense.

"Ah, Shizu-chan. I'd really love to play right now, but I'm quite busy. Maybe some other time." Izaya said before walking away from the brute. It wasn't long before a light post came hurtling at him, only missing by a few inches. Izaya frowned. He missed on purpose; he was just getting his attention.

"Busy, eh? Busy stalking that Mikado kid?" Shizuo growled. He had a cigarette perched in his mouth, and his glasses showed dark. Izaya shoved his hands in his pocket. "I don't get you. At all. What are you planning with him?"

"If I told you that, it wouldn't be fun, would it, Shizu-chan?" Izaya sneered. Shizuo narrowed his eyes and spit out his cigarette. Something was wrong with the info broker. He was acting different.

"Why would you bring a harmless kid into the mix? Now he's going to get hurt because of you." Shizuo wasn't too angry about the whole situation. It wasn't anything new. The kid meant nothing to him. As long as he stayed out of his business, he could care less what he did with Izaya. But he just wanted to know why.

Izaya cringed at his words.  _Harmless._  "I don't know. He's a human, and I love humans. It's what I do." He smirked, pushing the thoughts aside. Shizuo wanted to throw up. "If I find a particular human interesting, why is it unethical for me to investigate? Think of me as a scientist, or maybe even a private investigator—maybe if you're creative you can think of me as-"

"SHUT UP!" Shizuo snapped finally, his temper finally running its course. His hand twitched, as if he was ready to grab the nearest trashcan or car. Izaya smirked; he had won. A low growl turned into a warrior cry as he picked up the nearest vehicle. "IZAYA!"

* * *

_**Later in the Hospital** _

Kida sighed as be brought the bag of ice back up to his face. Saki watched him while in the hospital bed with sad eyes. She brought her hand up to touch his cheek, but he shifted away. He was still fazed by the incident a few days ago.

"Maybe you should send someone after him." Saki muttered. Kida glanced over and raised a brow. He waited for her to respond, but her face said it all. His face darkened and he turned to the window. "You have the yellow scarves on your side. You know his secret. You can take him down."

Kida shook his head. He didn't want to hurt Mikado any more than he already had. He certainly wouldn't tell his secret to the public. Not only will he be the number one wanted man in the city, but he might get himself killed. After what the gang did to Takiguchi, he wouldn't be surprised. There were dangerous people in his scarves.

Saki glared at him. "You're just going to let him get away with hurting you?!"

"I hurt him more." He replied softly.

"An eye for an eye? That's your excuse to let him hurt you?" She pestered on. She leaned over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You made mistakes. So did him. You might've cheated and lied to him, but he snuck behind your back and lied just as much. You two were even; now he's the one at fault." She smiled at him, but Masaomi gave back a frown.

"I still don't want to hurt him. I don't care how much he pisses me off right now." Kida glanced to the floor and shoved his hands in his pocket. He sighed and began to walk out the door. Saki gripped his arm and stared at him.

"Kida, wait-"

"I'll talk to you later Saki. I need to clear my head." He cut her off, shaking off her arm. He opened the door and stepped out. He walked to the elevator and pressed a button to open it. The doors opened, and he groaned at whom he saw. Izaya Orihara, with that stupid smirk on his face. Kida grumbled before stepping through the doors. He turned his head to the side, ignoring the informant, even though he knew that was inevitable.

"So, Masaomi Kida, we meet again." He laughed slightly. Kida growled slightly. Izaya crossed his arms and walked to the number selection. "What floor?"

"Piss off." Kida snapped back. Izaya chuckled before pressing the ground floor. He then took a spot next to Kida.

"That wasn't very nice Masaomi. If I had to guess, I'd say you aren't in the most pleasant of moods right now. Why is that?" Izaya queried. Kida could feel Izaya's eyes leering at him, and he didn't need to look at him to see that he was grinning like a maniac. He kept silent as the broker continued. "I suppose breaking up with your boyfriend is one way to get someone in a terrible mood. Though, it's not like you didn't see it coming."

"I didn't. I thought everything was fine until a couple months ago." Kida answered bluntly. He mentally cursed himself for answering him.

"If you truly thought everything was fine, perhaps you weren't devoting enough of your time to Ryugamine." He mused to himself. Kida bit his lip. "Maybe if you weren't jumping back and forth between Saki and him, none of this would be happening."

"I chose Saki. It's over." Kida suddenly spoke, catching the informant's attention. "Now Mikado can actually find a guy to give him that time and affection. That is, if the dude likes to be deceived for half of the time."

"Bingo!" Izaya laughed, waving his finger in front of Kida's face. "It seems you really are holding a grudge against the big ex." The elevator hit the ground floor, but Izaya pressed to go back up before Kida had a chance to stop him. The younger boy glared at him.

"Hey! Don't keep me locked in here with you!" Kida snapped back. Izaya's ghostly grin stopped the blonde in his tracks.

"I'm only going to say this once; you might just want to rethink how long you keep that grudge on Ryugamine. You never know when someone you know might just disappear right before your eyes." Kida crossed his arms and gave a cold stare back.

"And what happens if I don't care what he does? What happens when I could care less where he's going, who he's going with and why he's doing it? I just want to get the scarves straight, and it'll be a lot easier to do that with Mikado out of the way." Kida said nothing as he pressed the ground floor button one last time. Izaya hummed to himself, pondering over what to think.

"Hmm, I see. Well, if you truly don't care about him, then I suppose you can just forget about him and go on your merry way." Izaya chuckled. The other shuttered to himself. He hated being in the same room with him. "Though I warn you: both of your goodbyes might not be too far away from the future." The elevator doors opened and the info broker stepped out, spinning on his heel and walking out of the hospital. Kida ran after him, something clicking in his mind.

"H-hey! Wait!" He ran in front of him and stopped him from continuing. "What did you mean by that? Where is Mikado going?"

"That, my friend, is confidential. Though, if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up." Izaya side stepped passed Kida, but the boy grabbed his arm.

"HEY! Mikado isn't in any danger right? What did you do to him?!" Kida felt his anger grow higher by every second. If he had any guess, Izaya was the one who corrupted the sweet guy he had known before. It wasn't hard to be manipulated.

"Whoa there! No need to yell. I'm just the messenger." Izaya was enjoying this all too much. Perhaps he can go through with his plan after all. If Aoba succeeds in killing the emperor, then Kida will be sent into a spiral of despair. Who knows, maybe even insanity. Without Mikado leading the Dollars, and Kida losing control of the Yellow Scarves, all Izaya would have to do is to eliminate Aoba; then boom. Pure and utter chaos.  _War._

"You asshole… if anything happens to Mikado…" Kida warned.

"Ah-ah-ah. What did we just talk about? Forget and move on." The older man replied. When Kida wasn't looking, Izaya snuck a peak at his phone and checked the time. 2:43 AM. He frowned. He was wasting time. He didn't want to miss the show back at the hideout.

Kida suddenly let go of the man's arm. He stepped back and hung his head. He stared at the ground for a moment before lifting his head.

"Why don't you just die already?" Kida spat before pushing past the man. He was going to head back to his apartment. He was going to go to sleep. He was going to wake up and go to school. Then he was going to go on with his life. Izaya was a lying bastard; he was bluffing. Mikado would be fine. He's safe.

At least he hoped so.

When Kida had finally left, the informant snapped his phone open and checked the chat. He noticed that Setton was on chat alone. She was messaging them, asking if they were okay. Izaya chuckled darkly.

They were anything but okay.


	12. Cracked Ice

Mikado was shoved through the doors. The blindfold was tightly wrapped around his eyes and his mouth was taped shut. Inside the warehouse was a golden tint; something you would see in some sort of horror movie. Right in the middle of the room was one chair, with straps attached to both the arms. Mikado still couldn't see it, but he could tell that things were about to get ugly. One of the men led him to the chair and strapped him down. The boy didn't struggle. There was no point in trying to run away.

Aoba smirked and stepped inside the room. The lights above their heads flickered and occasionally sparked some electricity. It was an old warehouse, and this wouldn't take too long. Men of his gang made sure to have their weapons ready, just in case Mikado had something up his sleeve. Aoba didn't care. This was perfect.

"Hey, Mikado-sama…" He chuckled. He walked over and laid his hand on the others head. "It's me, Aoba. We're here now." He giggled to himself. He ran his fingers through his hair; he noticed it was soft. Like a kittens. Mikado glared through the cloth and licked the tape on his mouth. He had a very bad feeling about what was happening.

"Now let's get down to business. I'm giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity to be the leader of the Blue Squares. You see, it's hard to believe you were the actual leader of the great Dollars. For a while, I actually thought they didn't have a leader." He explained, still tangling his fingers in his hair. Mikado felt the tape on his mouth loosening. "I mean, they were so reckless. I heard that there were people who claimed to be the leader, but chickened out the moment the hammer hit the nail. But you…"

The tape slipped off. Mikado groaned at the feeling of cool air that hit his warm muzzle. The room went quiet for a second before Aoba chuckled in a low tone.

"Pity, the tape has fallen off. That's a shame. I'll just have to strap it on tighter. Men!" The fellow blue squares brought over a role of tape and Aoba smirked. He pulled the strap and Mikado shuddered at the sound of the tape stretching. Aoba brought the tape to his mouth and took the roll around his head. He wrapped the tape around the emperor's head until the whole roll was gone. Mikado groaned uncomfortably, it was getting hard to breathe.

"As I was saying; you didn't even defend your group. You never made any meetings. Did you even know a single member? I suppose it doesn't matter." The leader grinned, hitting Mikado in the head with the excess tape base. "All that matters is that, regardless of doing nothing, regardless of being carefree of your group, they still stuck around. They didn't abandon you; you abandoned them."

Mikado felt a cold breeze enter the room. A shift in atmosphere. What was happening? Did someone enter the room? The same feeling as before, when he was in the hospital room with Takiguchi. There were eyes on him, watching him. Who was it? Who was watching him?

No. Don't be him. If it had to be anyone, not him.

"Don't act so surprised, Tarou-kun." Izaya grinned, taking a front row seat outside the warehouse. Perched right by one of the very few windows, he sat in amusement. He turned his phone on silent and ignored the calls from Namie. She could wait; this was important.

Izaya put a lazy hand on his cheek and yawned. "Aoba, you're so boring…" He kicked his feet slightly. He narrowed his eyes and leaned in close. "I want a show. Torture him, make him cry, kill him in cold blood; I don't care. I want to see him fall."

Aoba leaned over to Mikado's ear and spoke in a voice so quiet that the other men couldn't hear him. "I need people like you in my gang. You'll bring us to the top, and I'll keep us there." He put two fingers in a small gap in the tape and yanked it down. Mikado cursed in pain.

"You're making a pretty big mistake, buddy." Mikado growled, eyes turning dark. Aoba pressed a finger up to his lips, indicating to be quiet.

"I never said you could speak, Mikado-sama." Aoba whispered. "Think about it. You and me, leading the Blue Squares. We'll be the kings; kings of all those pathetic humans. All you have to do is nod your head." He used his index finger to trace his lips, starting from the top, then slowly turning to the bottom. Mikado felt the blindfold being pulled from his head, and he was finally able to see the younger's face.

Both of their blue eyes met and Aoba froze. Mikado's eyes were shining with a cold crystal blue. It looked like cracked ice; smooth and dangerous, yet delicate and fragile. Almost like a mirror. It was almost intoxicating; Mikado was intoxicating.

Izaya raised a brow and leaned into the window. Something was wrong.

"Ne… Mikado-sama…" Aoba gripped Mikado's collar and lifted him again. Before he could question him, the boy brought him in for a kiss. It wasn't anything romantic, or wanted. It was like a test. They didn't close their eyes. They had no reason to. Aoba turned his head over and deepened the kiss. He licked the others lips to try and make him open up, but Mikado had his teeth nailed shut. Aoba used his tongue to try and pry his teeth apart, but he knew it was pointless. The blue members choked in shock, sputtering to themselves at the sight.

Izaya's eyes widened and he watched in silence. He had nothing to say until finally he busted out laughing. He actually had to duck from the window in order to keep himself from being caught. His sides were starting to hurt; he was laughing too much. He even felt his eyes start to water. His laughing soon died down and he raised himself back up to the window, his grin never leaving his face.

"That's certainly one way to grab my attention." He whispered to himself. Izaya shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned in curiously. He giggled to himself and watched Aoba. His eyes gleamed a murderous red. "I really do hate you, Aoba."

After a minute, Mikado shook his head, breaking the kiss rudely. Aoba scowled and backed away from the other. He growled and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Just as I thought; you taste disgusting. Just like all humans do." Aoba muttered, clenching his fists. Mikado glared at the boy.

"For someone who wants me to lead their gang so badly, you're not doing a very good job." He growled at him. This was dangerous. That kiss wasn't normal; he didn't do it out of the control of some stupid feeling. It was more of a… declaration? A sign?

"I've given you a choice." Aoba muttered. "Nod your head yes, or shake your head no. That's all you have to do. Make your choice." Mikado's eyes trailed past Aoba. His eyes stopped at the window, on a pair of red eyes. He glared at Izaya, who simply gave a lazy wave. "Ne, Mikado-sama. Are you listening to me?" Aoba suddenly muttered, snapping the other out of his stare down. He walked over and kneeled next to Mikado. He gripped his jacket and yanked him over. He whispered in his ear. "I'm done playing second fiddle. Do you think you're better than me? You're nothing!" Aoba lifted him up, but the straps held him back at the chair. He groaned in pain, feeling his arms and legs being pulled. Aoba reeled back his hand slapped Mikado hard in the face. His fellow gang members cringed slightly. It was scary how bipolar the young one could be.

"You're nothing but a human! You jackasses think your better? Superior? No. You're just a cocky animal with no manners." He dropped Mikado back in the seat. The emperor growled and spit out a tooth.

"How fucking dare you?" Mikado murmured. He felt his cheek sting. Something was brewing inside his stomach, and it climbed up to his mouth and exchanged to words. "How DARE you hit me?! What makes you think… that you have the right TO LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME?!" He snapped. The room practically shook under his words. Everyone went silent, and Mikado had the floor. Izaya remained quiet, as if he would ruin the experience by even breathing too loudly. "You claim that you hate humans, and yet you created a gang consisting of nothing but the worst! You expect me to run a group that is only setting itself up for failure?!" Aoba felt his anger grow with each word the older boy said. Mikado was below him, he shouldn't have to be subjected to his orders. No… Mikado should be bowing before him.

The emperor continued, "You want me to join you? I can't stand coexisting in the same world as you! I knew you were lying to me since day one! You made me, Kida, everyone believe that the Blue Squares had fallen, only to bring them back to the surface. But for what? What are you getting from all this?" Mikado paused to spit some blood out that was leaking from his broken tooth. "By putting on that stupid and innocent façade at school, you've gained friends. Friends like Anri and the Orihara sisters. You've even made friends with me. Why even bother doing that if you just hate us?! By the way you're acting, and just how desperate you are for my help, it seems like you're beginning to like humans more and more each day!" The last words echoed throughout the room. The fire that was ignited in Mikado had suddenly been doused. What was he thinking? Mouthing off while being chained down against his will? He must be suicidal.

Aoba stood there in silence before growling under his breathe. He whipped himself around to face his crew. He pointed to one of his men who was holding a rusty crowbar. That man jumped and stood at attention. He normally wouldn't be so afraid of two teenaged boys, but these two were different. These two weren't just all fun and games.

"Give me that!" He yanked the crowbar from the man's hands, scaring him to no end. He turned back to Mikado and stepped towards him. The emperor flinched at the sight of the crowbar. Was he planning to beat him with it? Oh no…

"Aoba-"

"SHUT UP." He snapped. His hand was shaking with the crowbar. "I think it's time… I teach you who's in charge." He said with a shaky voice. Mikado froze in place; this was too dangerous. He had said too much. His mind went running and on the spot, he came up with an idea. He made his eyes water, tears threatening to fall from his lids. He glanced back up at Aoba, who was just about ready to strike him. Aoba took one glance at those large blue eyes, and he couldn't pull himself away. What used to be cracked ice was now a shaky ocean. The waters crashed against the land in a gentle but affective way. The water was vast, the blue never-ending…

He shook his head and scolded himself. No. he couldn't fall for this. He raised his crowbar again, but stopped when Mikado began to speak.

"Ne, A-aoba…" Mikado whimpered, tears strolling down his face. "I'm sorry. Please don't kill me. I-I don't want to die. I'll do anything, please don't kill me." The tears came flooding down his face; Aoba still hesitated.

"You… little bastard…" Aoba choked out, bar still in hand. Mikado hung his head and began sobbing loudly, even going as far as hiccupping for dramatic effect. He could hear Aoba's crew snickering and laughing, enjoying how pathetic the emperor looked. Mikado didn't care. He had no shame. If it would save his life, if it would let him live one more day, than he'd do anything. He refused to die by another's hand. He would only die by his own.

"Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO-!" Mikado's crying was stopped by another back hand across his cheek. Aoba growled in apparent annoyance and threw his crowbar to the side.

"If it will shut you up, damn it." He grumbled in defeat. Mikado internally smirked, but externally sniffled and still gave a few weak hiccups.

Izaya clapped his hands, an amused grin on his face. Mikado could see him very well, and he wanted to glare at him, but he had to keep up the helpless look.

"Oh, Tarou-kun." The informant giggled. "What a brilliant actor you are. I find it interesting that in everyday life, telling a lie would be murder on your poor brain. But right now, in the heat of the moment, you're acting chops are polished to the core. I'm impressed."

Back down, Aoba crossed his arms and stared at Mikado. He didn't realize just how much talk the other really was. Mikado was more vulnerable than he had originally thought. He glanced up at the light and he noticed the flickering. The lights might go out soon. They needed to hurry this up before they caught some unneeded attention.

He turned to one of his men and ordered, "Go start up the van." The man ran off. Mikado blinked back his tears and raised his head. Aoba turned to him and gave a dark stare. "If you ever talk to me like that again, I won't hold back; I don't care how much you cry." Mikado nodded. On the inside, he was fuming. He hated looking so weak.

The man came rushing back. "Boss, we need gas." Aoba turned to him and raised a brow.

"Then go grab the gas can and fill it up." Mikado's ears twitched at his words. His eyes widened and something clicked in his brain.

_**Yeah. Maybe that will work…** _

_Just be careful, Rikoteki…_

The member rushed over and grabbed the gas can. He stumbled and almost dropped the can. He was on edge. Perfect. Mikado eyed the sparks that came from the lights, how it would fall to the floor and die down. He man ran over with the can, drops of gasoline falling as he ran. He waited. Listened to the volume of his footsteps as they got louder, and louder, and louder… until Mikado stuck out his legs and caught one of the other's legs, watching as he fell over clumsily. The gas can dropped and leaked all over the floor, and on the man. Mikado made sure to not let the gasoline hit him. Aoba gasped at the splash that hit his pants leg.

"Mikado!" He barked. Mikado couldn't help but smirk. Aoba stepped closer.

_Yes._

"What is WRONG with you?!" He exclaimed, stepping over his fallen man and closer to Mikado, whose face was covered in darkness.

_Check-mate._

Spark. Creak. Crash.

The light, the one weak light that was hanging on by a thread, fell. It landed… right on the damp man. Fire was lit instantly. The poor member shot up in pain, screaming in all shades of agony and fear. He ran past the other scared men and darted through the entire room, trying to find something, anything that would put out the fire burning through his skin. In the process, he managed to light up almost everything he touched. It was no use. Soon, the man was too injured to run, and he dropped to the floor, sobbing and screaming until his life ran out through his burnt lips. The fire trailed through all of the gasoline and up Aoba's pants leg. He cringed and patted the fire to make it go out, but that only made it spread more. He shot frightened eyes to Mikado, who simply stared on at him.

"M-MIKADO! H-H-How… HOW COULD YOU?!" He screeched. The emperor let the smile form to his lips. He had won this battle.

Izaya grinned as the men ran out of the warehouse. He waited for them to leave before swinging down to the entrance. He made sure to dodge the flames as he maneuvered his way through. He slowed down as he came up on the emperor, who cursed as he was strapped in the chair. Izaya smirked; he was like a dog trapped in a cage.

"Ah, what an interesting predicament we have here." He chuckled hoarsely. Mikado glared at him before coughing and hacking from all the smoke. "I mean, really interesting! Why would anyone want to harm you? You're an angel sent from heaven; or at least coming from an everyday bystander's point of view." Izaya leaned down in front of the younger one and eyed him. Mikado stared back, seeing the reflection of the flames through his eyes.

"Izaya-san." He muttered. "Isn't it an odd time to start rambling?" He heard the flick knife open and he felt it press to his neck. Mikado pressed himself further against the seat, trying to distance himself as much as possible from the informant. He didn't like that murderous look in his eyes. He wasn't joking around.

A sweet smile came to the informant's face. "Mikado Ryugamine." The boy felt shivers go up his spine. When was the last time Izaya properly said his name? "I'll have you warned, I'm at my limit." He began cutting the knife into his skin.

"Izaya, stop." Mikado ordered, wincing in pain. Izaya's smile quickly turned upside down when he heard his voice. He gripped his knife tighter.

"Just shut up and listen for once." He growled with malice and hatred. Mikado pressed his lips together and bit his tongue. He had never heard Izaya use that tone of voice. "I'm at a conflict right now. I'm deciding whether or not I should let you live or not. In one hand, if I let you die, my plan for war will be completed. I'll finally get what I've been wanting for the longest time." It was his choice. He had an array of ways to kill him. Slice his neck right now? Let him burn in the warehouse? Let Mikado suffocate in the fumes? Or just leave him here to starve and dehydrate?

The knife cut just the slightest bit deeper. Mikado was afraid to swallow. He felt a strand of blood trail down his neck.

"But then again, if I let you die, I might never find someone like you again." This part was said through gritted teeth. Mikado waited for a minute of silence to allow him to speak. "Out of all the humans on the planet, you found a way to stand out in my eyes. I can't let that go."

"Surely you can find someone like me out of the millions of people on this planet." Mikado mused. "It's not like I'm new or exciting. Just an everyday bystander, like you said. You can find them everywhere." Izaya hummed to himself, and the teenager eyed the fire that was slowly creeping its way towards them.

"Convince me." The teenager's eyes snapped back to the informants words. Convince? A smile rose back to Izaya's face. "Convince me to save your life. Don't take too long, Tarou-kun! You're timed." Mikado gulped and thought for a moment. He had no idea what to do. What did he want? Begging? Swearing? Crying? An idea came to his head and he made himself tear up again.

"O-Orihara-san…" He stuttered, sniffling slightly. He looked up at Izaya with large eyes, hoping to possibly persuade the informant. Even if it fazed him in the slightest way, anything was better than nothing. It worked on Kida plenty of times, and Aoba was easy to persuade; maybe Izaya? But the older one wasn't falling for it. Red eyes narrowed and he pushed the knife deeper. Mikado yelped and froze in place. If he pushed the knife any farther…

"Don't joke around with me." He warned. He gripped the weapon tighter and never let his eyes stray from the boy's. He could even feel the other's pulse hitting the blade. Mikado thought for a second, groaning when he felt the heat grow closer. He was stumped. Why should he live? He couldn't find an answer, and that frustrated him. Mikado always found answers.

"What do you want from me?" He said in a hoarse tone. "It's been like this since day one. Why am I so important to you?" Izaya paused for a moment, unsure of the answer himself.

"Eh, I don't know. I remember coming across you in chat a few years back. We soon became 'friends' and 'someone' invited me to become a part of the Dollars. I wonder who." He slowly retracted the knife, leaving just the tip in the cut wound. "You kept private messaging me on chat. Talking about how boring your day was, how much you wished you could explore the world. I listened as you grew from an immature little brat to an intelligent graduate of junior high. I could tell how much you grew; the way you spoke, how you responded, even how you would frequently message your old friends to return. It was interesting watching you grow." Izaya still kept the knife there, but Mikado could see his decision waver.

"You haven't changed much." Mikado responded, still being wary of the informant. "You're still the same person that I knew back then. I can just see you clearer now." Sweat trailed down Mikado's forehead and his clothing stuck to his skin. The metal on the chair began to burn into his skin. He knew that he couldn't stay here much longer, but Izaya still stared at him. He was waiting. What was he expecting? What did he want him to do?

"Wouldn't you agree that it would be a shame if I would die?" Mikado asked. The informant didn't say a word, but the emperor continued. "After all, wouldn't you like to see how I evolve? Don't you want to know what my plan is? Why are you leaving when the show has just started?" He didn't know why he was egging him on. If anything, it was like asking for a one way ticket to hell. He didn't know whether it was better to be on Izaya's good side or bad side, but right now the path was obvious. There was a pause before izaya pulled back his knife and gave an annoyed sigh.

"Unfortunately, I can't deny that you're right. It would be a shame if you died, even if that saved me some trouble in the long run." In the blink of an eye, Mikado had heard the sound of a snap. He looked down and saw that the binds on his wrists and ankles were cut. He rubbed his sore wrists, eying the markings that were left. He then stood up, cringing when his legs felt like jelly. Izaya grabbed his arm and yanked him forward, ignoring his sore legs. He pulled him harshly past the flames, cursing when he felt himself getting slightly burned, and rushed out of the building.

Izaya pulled out his phone and quickly texted the number of the black rider.

"Ah, my beloved carrier. I certainly have a job for you…" He chuckled slightly, still grasping Mikado's forearm. He typed with his thumb while keeping an eye out for policemen.

_|I'm going to need you to pick us up. We're in a little predicament.|_

_|We? Who else is with you?|_

_|Just come and pick us up and I'll make it worth your while.|_

He snapped the phone shut and shoved it in his pocket. He finally let go of Mikado and glanced back at the burning warehouse. Mikado saw something glimmer on the ground.

"What an interesting turn of events. I would have never guessed you would burn the whole building. How sadistic." Izaya breathed. Mikado glared at him before suddenly breaking out in coughs. He kneeled to the ground and began choking out whatever he had inhaled from the fire. Izaya smirked and shook his head. He walked over and began patting his back. Mikado jerked away from the touch.

"Oh? Why are you so on edge? I told you I wouldn't kill you. You can trust me~" The info broker snickered to him. Mikado shot him a cold glare. "Why the angry face? I just saved you. The least you could do is thank me." The boy's blue eyes trailed past Izaya and eyed the shiny object laying in the grass. It was a gun. One of the men must've dropped it while running away. Dark thoughts entered Mikado, but he pushed them away for the time being.

"A-ah. You have my sincere gratitude, Izaya." He said, trying to sound sincere but not doing a very good job at it. Izaya smirked and turned away. He walked over a few feet, still looking out for the police. Celty should soon be there, hopefully before anyone suspicious showed up. Mikado looked back at the gun. He had one chance. One shot. If he missed, he would be killed. No doubt about it. He walked over to the gun, looking back at Izaya to make sure he wasn't looking. He snatched it quietly and checked the ammunition. Three shots left. One was all he needed. He then focused on the flick knife that Izaya playfully twisted in his hand.

If he missed right now, one knife to the face would be his end. He raised the cold piece of metal up to aim. He followed the barrel and lined it up. One second was all it would take. He reloaded and clicked the gun; he gasped at how loud it was. Izaya flinched. It was now or never.

He had only pulled the trigger halfway before a large dark bike came barreling out of nowhere. The black rider skidded to a stop right in front of the informant. Mikado shook his head. Too dangerous. He shoved the gun away and covered it with his jacket. The legend typed on her phone and showed the two:

|What are you two doing here? What happened to this building?|

"In due time, I will explain. Firstly, I'd like you to drop Mikado off at my apartment. I have my own business to attend to." Izaya said to her. The carrier obliged and motioned for Mikado to sit behind her. The smoke around her formed into a dark helmet, and she handed it to him. Mikado sweated and put on the cover, jumping right behind her on the bike. He glanced back at Izaya; he wasn't smiling.


End file.
